4* 


RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 


OTHER  BOOKS 
BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

r 

Adventures  of  Sherlock  Holmes,  The  Hound  of  the 
Baskervilles,  The  Adventures  of  Gerard,  etc. 


MR.      JOXAS     OLDACRK 


THE  RETURN  OF 

SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

BY 

A.    CONAN    DOYLE 


ILLUSTRATED   BY  CHARLES  RAYMOND  MACAULEY 


NEW   YORK 

McCLURE,    PHILLIPS    &    CO 
MCMV 


Copyright,  1905,  by 
McCLURE,  PHILLIPS  &  CO. 

Published  February,  1905 


Copyright,  1905, 1904,  1905,  by  A.  Conan  Doyle  and  Collier's  Weekly 


CONTENTS 

I  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE     ...      3 

II  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER     .         .    31 

III  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN     .         .         .61 

IV  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST        .         .     93 
V  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL   .         .         .119 

VI  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER     ....  159 

VII  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  CHARLES  AUGUSTUS  MILVERTON     187 

VIII  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  Six  NAPOLEONS  .         .         .  209 

IX  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS         .         .  237 

X  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ     .         .  261 

XI  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER    .  291 

XII  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  .         .         .  319 

XIII  THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  .         .  349 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


MR.  JONAS  OLD  ACRE  .....          Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 

I  KNOCKED  DOWN  SEVERAL  BOOKS  WHICH  HE  WAS  CARRYING        8 

"THREE  DAYS  LATER  A  MESSAGE  WAS  LEFT  UNDER  A  PEBBLE 

UPON  THE  SUN -DIAL"         ......       70 

A  SOLITARY  CYCLIST  WAS  COMING  TOWARDS  US  .          .110 

AN   INSTANT   LATER,    HIS    FEET   WERE   ON    MY   SHOULDERS  .       148 

"I   GOT    A    SHAKE    WHEN    I    PUT    MY    HEAD    INTO    THAT    LITTLE 

HOUSE"      .........       164 

HE    FELL    FORWARD    UPON    THE    TABLE,  COUGHING    FURIOUSLY 

AND    CLAWING   AMONG   THE   PAPERS         ....      206 

WE    SAW    THAT    HE    CARRIED    SOMETHING    WHITE    UNDER    HIS 

ARM 228 

THREE  YELLOW  SQUARES  OF  LIGHT  SHONE  ABOVE  us  IN  THE 

GATHERING    GLOOM       .......      250 

IT    WAS      A      GAUNT,     AQUILINE     FACE     WHICH      WAS      TURNED 

TOWARDS    US        ........      276 

I   CAUGHT   A   GLIMPSE   OF   DR.    ARMSTRONG   WITHIN  .  .      314 

"THESE  THREE  GLASSES  UPON  THE  SIDEBOARD  HAVE  BEEN 

UNTOUCHED,  I  SUPPOSE?"          .....    330 

HE  FOUND  HOLMES  LEANING  LANGUIDLY  AGAINST  THE  MAN- 
TELPIECE 372 


THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 


I 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE  EMPTY  HOUSE 

IT  was  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1894  that  all  London  was 
interested,  and  the  fashionable  world  dismayed,  by  the  murder 
of  the  Honourable  Ronald  Adair  under  most  unusual  and  inex- 
plicable circumstances.  The  public  has  already  learned  those 
particulars  of  the  crime  which  came  out  in  the  police  investiga- 
tion, but  a  good  deal  was  suppressed  upon  that  occasion,  since 
the  case  for  the  prosecution  was  so  overwhelmingly  strong  that 
it  was  not  necessary  to  bring  forward  all  the  facts.  Only  now, 
at  the  end  of  nearly  ten  years,  am  I  allowed  to  supply  those 
missing  links  which  make  up  the  whole  of  that  remarkable 
chain.  The  crime  was  of  interest  in  itself,  but  that  interest 
was  as  nothing  to  me  compared  to  the  inconceivable  sequel, 
which  afforded  me  the  greatest  shock  and  surprise  of  any  event 
in  my  adventurous  life.  Even  now,  after  this  long  interval,  I 
find  myself  thrilling  as  I  think  of  it,  and  feeling  once  more  that 
sudden  flood  of  joy,  amazement,  and  incredulity  which  utterly 
submerged  my  mind.  Let  me  say  to  that  public,  which  has 
shown  some  interest  in  those  glimpses  which  I  have  occa- 
sionally given  them  of  the  thoughts  and  actions  of  a  very  re- 
markable man,  that  they  are  not  to  blame  me  if  I  have  not 


4        THE  RETURN  OP  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

shared  my  knowledge  with  them,  for  I  should  have  considered 
it  my  first  duty  to  have  done  so,  had  I  not  been  barred  by  a 
positive  prohibition  from  his  own  lips,  which  was  only  with- 
drawn upon  the  third  of  last  month. 

It  can  be  imagined  that  my  close  intimacy  with  Sherlock 
Holmes  had  interested  me  deeply  in  crime,  and  that  after  his 
disappearance  I  never  failed  to  read  with  care  the  various  prob- 
lems which  came  before  the  public.  And  I  even  attempted,  more 
than  once,  for  my  own  private  satisfaction,  to  employ  his  meth- 
ods in  their  solution,  though  with  indifferent  success.  There 
was  none,  however,  which  appealed  to  me  like  this  tragedy  of 
Ronald  Adair.  As  I  read  the  evidence  at  the  inquest,  which  led 
up  to  a  verdict  of  wilful  murder  against  some  person  or  persons 
unknown,  I  realized  more  clearly  than  I  had  ever  done  the  loss 
which  the  community  had  sustained  by  the  death  of  Sherlock 
Holmes.  There  were  points  about  this  strange  business  which 
would,  I  was  sure,  have  specially  appealed  to  him,  and  the 
efforts  of  the  police  would  have  been  supplemented,  or  more 
probably  anticipated,  by  the  trained  observation  and  the  alert 
mind  of  the  first  criminal  agent  in  Europe.  All  day,  as  I  drove 
upon  my  round,  I  turned  over  the  case  in  my  mind,  and  found 
no  explanation  which  appeared  to  me  to  be  adequate.  At  the 
risk  of  telling  a  twice-told  tale,  I  will  recapitulate  the  facts  as 
they  were  known  to  the  public  at  the  conclusion  of  the  inquest. 

The  Honourable  Ronald  Adair  was  the  second  son  of  the  Earl 
of  Maynooth,  at  that  time  governor  of  one  of  the  Australian 
colonies.  Adair's  mother  had  returned  from  Australia  to  un- 
dergo the  operation  for  cataract,  and  she,  her  son  Ronald,  and 
her  daughter  Hilda  were  living  together  at  427  Park  Lane.  The 
youth  moved  in  the  best  society  —  had,  so  far  as  was  known, 
no  enemies,  and  no  particular  vices.  He  had  been  engaged  to 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       5 

Miss  Edith  Woodley,  of  Carstairs,  but  the  engagement  had  been 
broken  off  by  mutual  consent  some  months  before,  and  there 
was  no  sign  that  it  had  left  any  very  profound  feeling  behind  it. 
For  the  rest  the  man's  life  moved  in  a  narrow  and  conventional 
circle,  for  his  habits  were  quiet  and  his  nature  unemotional. 
Yet  is  was  upon  this  easy-going  young  aristocrat  that  death 
came,  in  most  strange  and  unexpected  form,  between  the  hours 
of  ten  and  eleven -twenty  on  the  night  of  March  30,  1894. 

Ronald  Adair  was  fond  of  cards  —  playing  continually,  but 
never  for  such  stakes  as  would  hurt  him.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Baldwin,  the  Cavendish,  and  the  Bagatelle  card  clubs. 
It  was  shown  that,  after  dinner  on  the  day  of  his  death,  he  had 
played  a  rubber  of  whist  at  the  latter  club.  He  had  also  played 
there  in  the  afternoon.  The  evidence  of  those  who  had  played 
with  him  —  Mr.  Murray,  Sir  John  Hardy,  and  Colonel  Moran  — 
showed  that  the  game  was  whist,  and  that  there  was  a  fairly 
equal  fall  of  the  cards.  Adair  might  have  lost  five  pounds, 
but  not  more.  His  fortune  was  a  considerable  one,  and  such 
a  loss  could  not  in  any  way  affect  him.  He  had  played  nearly 
every  day  at  one  club  or  other,  but  he  was  a  cautious  player, 
and  usually  rose  a  winner.  It  came  out  in  evidence  that,  in 
partnership  with  Colonel  Moran,  he  had  actually  won  as  much 
as  four  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  in  a  sitting,  some  weeks 
before,  from  Godfrey  Milner  and  Lord  Balmoral.  So  much 
for  his  recent  history  as  it  came  out  at  the  inquest. 

On  the  evening  of  the  crime,  he  returned  from  the  club  ex- 
actly at  ten.  His  mother  and  sister  were  out  spending  the  even- 
ing with  a  relation.  The  servant  deposed  that  she  heard  him 
enter  the  front  room  on  the  second  floor,  generally  used  as  his 
sitting-room.  She  had  lit  a  fire  there,  and  as  it  smoked  she  had 
opened  the  window.  No  sound  was  heard  from  the  room  until 


6         THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

eleven-twenty,  the  hour  of  the  return  of  Lady  Maynooth  and 
her  daughter.  Desiring  to  say  good-night,  she  attempted  to 
enter  her  son's  room.  The  door  was  locked  on  the  inside, 
and  no  answer  could  be  got  to  their  cries  and  knocking.  Help 
was  obtained,  and  the  door  forced.  The  unfortunate  young 
man  was  found  lying  near  the  table.  His  head  had  been 
horribly  mutilated  by  an  expanding  revolver  bullet,  but  no 
weapon  of  any  sort  was  to  be  found  in  the  room.  On  the 
table  lay  two  banknotes  for  ten  pounds  each  and  seventeen 
pounds  ten  in  silver  and  gold,  the  money  arranged  in  1'ttle 
piles  of  varying  amount.  There  were  some  figures  also  upon 
a  sheet  of  paper,  with  the  names  of  some  club  friends  opposite 
to  them,  from  which  it  was  conjectured  that  before  his  death  he 
was  endeavouring  to  make  out  his  losses  or  winnings  at  cards. 

A  minute  examination  of  the  circumstances  served  only  to 
make  the  case  more  complex.  In  the  first  place,  no  reason 
could  be  given  why  the  young  man  should  have  fastened  the 
door  upon  the  inside.  There  was  the  possibility  that  the  mur- 
derer had  done  this,  and  had  afterwards  escaped  by  the  win- 
dow. The  drop  was  at  least  twenty  feet,  however,  and  a  bed  of 
crocuses  in  full  bloom  lay  beneath.  Neither  the  flowers  nor  the 
earth  showed  any  sign  of  having  been  disturbed,  nor  were  there 
any  marks  upon  the  narrow  strip  of  grass  which  separated  the 
house  from  the  road.  Apparently,  therefore,  it  was  the  young 
man  himself  who  had  fastened  the  door.  But  how  did  he  come 
by  his  death  ?  No  one  could  have  climbed  up  to  the  window 
without  leaving  traces.  Suppose  a  man  had  fired  through  the 
window,  he  would  indeed  be  a  remarkable  shot  who  could  with 
a  revolver  inflict  so  deadly  a  wound.  Again,  Park  Lane  is  a 
frequented  thoroughfare ;  there  is  a  cabstand  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  house.  No  one  had  heard  a  shot.  And  yet  there 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       7 

was  the  dead  man,  and  there  the  revolver  bullet,  which  had 
mushroomed  out,  as  soft-nosed  bullets  will,  and  so  inflicted  a 
wound  which  must  have  caused  instantaneous  death.  Such 
were  the  circumstances  of  the  Park  Lane  Mystery,  which  were 
further  complicated  by  entire  absence  of  motive,  since,  as  I 
have  said,  young  Adair  was  not  known  to  have  any  enemy,  and 
no  attempt  had  been  made  to  remove  the  money  or  valuables 
in  the  room. 

All  day  I  turned  these  facts  over  in  my  mind,  endeavouring 
to  hit  upon  some  theory  which  could  reconcile  them  all,  and  to 
find  that  line  of  least  resistance  which  my  poor  friend  had  de- 
clared to  be  the  starting-point  of  every  investigation.  I  confess 
that  I  made  little  progress.  In  the  evening  I  strolled  across  the 
park,  and  found  myself  about  six  o'clock  at  the  Oxford  Street 
end  of  Park  Lane.  A  group  of  loafers  upon  the  pavements,  all 
staring  up  at  a  particular  window,  directed  me  to  the  house 
which  I  had  come  to  see.  A  tall,  thin  man  with  coloured 
glasses,  whom  I  strongly  suspected  of  being  a  plain-clothes 
detective,  was  pointing  out  some  theory  of  his  own,  while  the 
others  crowded  round  to  listen  to  what  he  said.  I  got  as  near 
him  as  I  could,  but  his  observations  seemed  to  me  to  be 
absurd,  so  I  withdrew  again  in  some  disgust.  As  I  did  so  I 
struck  against  an  elderly,  deformed  man,  who  had  been  be- 
hind me,  and  I  knocked  down  several  books  which  he  was 
carrying.  I  remember  that  as  I  picked  them  up,  I  observed  the 
title  of  one  of  them,  "  The  Origin  of  Tree  Worship, "  and  it 
struck  me  that  the  fellow  must  be  some  poor  bibliophile,  who, 
either  as  a  trade  or  as  a  hobby,  was  a  collector  of  obscure 
volumes.  I  endeavoured  to  apologize  for  the  accident,  but  it 
was  evident  that  these  books  which  I  had  so  unfortunately 
maltreated  were  very  precious  objects  in  the  eyes  of  their 


8         THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

owner.  With  a  snarl  of  contempt  he  turned  upon  his  heel, 
and  I  saw  his  curved  back  and  white  side-whiskers  disappear 
among  the  throng. 

My  observations  of  No.  427  Park  Lane  did  little  to  clear  up 
the  problem  in  which  I  was  interested.  The  house  was  sepa- 
rated from  the  street  by  a  low  wall  and  railing,  the  whole  not 
more  than  five  feet  high.  It  was  perfectly  easy,  therefore,  for 
any  one  to  get  into  the  garden,  but  the  window  was  entirely  in- 
accessible, since  there  was  no  waterpipe  or  anything  which 
could  help  the  most  active  man  to  climb  it.  More  puzzled  than 
ever,  I  retraced  my  steps  to  Kensington.  I  had  not  been  in  my 
study  five  minutes  when  the  maid  entered  to  say  that  a  person 
desired  to  see  me.  To  my  astonishment  it  was  none  other  than 
my  strange  old  book  collector,  his  sharp,  wizened  face  peering 
out  from  a  frame  of  white  hair,  and  his  precious  volumes,  a 
dozen  of  them  at  least,  wedged  under  his  right  arm. 

"  You're  surprised  to  see  me,  sir, "  said  he,  in  a  strange, 
croaking  voice. 

I  acknowledged  that  I  was. 

"  Well,  I've  a  conscience,  sir,  and  when  I  chanced  to  see  you 
go  into  this  house,  as  I  came  hobbling  after  you,  I  thought  to 
myself,  I'll  just  step  in  and  see  that  kind  gentleman,  and  tell 
him  that  if  I  was  a  bit  gruff  in  my  manner  there  was  not  any 
harm  meant,  and  that  I  am  much  obliged  to  him  for  picking 
up  my  books. " 

<f  You  make  too  much  of  a  trifle, "  said  I.  "  May  I  ask  how 
you  knew  who  I  was  ?  " 

"  Well,  sir,  if  it  isn't  too  great  a  liberty,  I  am  a  neighbour  of 
yours,  for  you'll  find  my  little  bookshop  at  the  corner  of  Church 
Street,  and  very  happy  to  see  you,  I  am  sure.  Maybe  you  col- 
lect yourself,  sir.  Here's  '  British  Birds, '  and  '  Catullus,'  and 


KVOCKF. r>   no\vv   SKVKRAI.   BOOKS   WHICH   UK   WAS   CARRYING 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       9 

'  The  Holy  War'  —  a  bargain,  every  one  of  them.  With  five  vol- 
umes you  could  just  fill  that  gap  on  that  second  shelf.  It  looks 
untidy,  does  it  not,  sir  ?  " 

I  moved  my  head  to  look  at  the  cabinet  behind  me.  When  I 
turned  again,  Sherlock  Holmes  was  standing  smiling  at  me 
across  my  study  table.  I  rose  to  my  feet,  stared  at  him  for 
some  seconds  in  utter  amazement,  and  then  it  appears  that  I 
must  have  fainted  for  the  first  and  the  last  time  in  my  life. 
Certainly  a  grey  mist  swirled  before  my  eyes,  and  when  it 
cleared  I  found  my  collar-ends  undone  and  the  tingling  after- 
taste of  brandy  upon  my  lips.  Holmes  was  bending  over  my 
chair,  his  flask  in  his  hand. 

"  My  dear  Watson, "  said  the  well-remembered  voice,  "  I  owe 
you  a  thousand  apologies.  I  had  no  idea  that  you  would  be  so 
affected. " 

I  gripped  him  by  the  arms. 

"Holmes!"  I  cried.  "Is  it  really  you?  Can  it  indeed  be 
that  you  are  alive  ?  Is  it  possible  that  you  succeeded  in  climb- 
ing out  of  that  awful  abyss  ?  " 

"Wait  a  moment,"  said  he.  "Are  you  sure  that  you  are 
really  fit  to  discuss  things  ?  I  have  given  you  a  serious  shock 
by  my  unnecessarily  dramatic  reappearance. " 

"  I  am  all  right,  but  indeed,  Holmes,  I  can  hardly  believe  my 
eyes.  Good  Heavens !  to  think  that  you  —  you  of  all  men  — 
should  be  standing  in  my  study. "  Again  I  gripped  him  by  the 
sleeve,  and  felt  the  thin,  sinewy  arm  beneath  it.  "  Well,  you're 
not  a  spirit,  anyhow, "  said  I.  "  My  dear  chap,  I'm  overjoyed 
to  see  you.  Sit  down,  and  tell  me  how  you  came  alive  out  of 
that  dreadful  chasm. " 

He  sat  opposite  to  me,  and  lit  a  cigarette  in  his  old,  noncha- 
lant manner.  He  was  dressed  in  the  seedy  frock-coat  of  the 


10  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

book  merchant,  but  the  rest  of  that  individual  lay  in  a  pile  of 
white  hair  and  old  books  upon  the  table.  Holmes  looked  even 
thinner  and  keener  than  of  old,  but  there  was  a  dead- white 
tinge  in  his  aquiline  face  which  told  me  that  his  life  recently  had 
not  been  a  healthy  one. 

"  I  am  glad  to  stretch  myself,  Watson, "  said  he.  "  It  is  no 
joke  when  a  tall  man  has  to  take  a  foot  off  his  stature  for  several 
hours  on  end.  Now,  my  dear  fellow,  in  the  matter  of  these 
explanations,  we  have,  if  I  may  ask  for  your  co-operation,  a 
hard  and  dangerous  night's  work  in  front  of  us.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  better  if  I  gave  you  an  account  of  the  whole  situation 
when  that  work  is  finished. " 

"  I  am  full  of  curiosity.     I  should  much  prefer  to  hear  now." 

'*  You'll  come  with  me  to-night  ?  " 

"  When  you  like  and  where  you  like. " 

"  This  is,  indeed,  like  the  old  days.  We  shall  have  time  for 
a  mouthful  of  dinner  before  we  need  go.  Well,  then,  about 
that  chasm.  I  had  no  serious  difficulty  in  getting  out  of  it,  for 
the  very  simple  reason  that  I  never  was  in  it. " 

"  You  never  were  in  it  ?  " 

"  No,  Watson,  I  never  was  in  it.  My  note  to  you  was  abso- 
lutely genuine.  I  had  little  doubt  that  I  had  come  to  the  end 
of  my  career  when  I  perceived  the  somewhat  sinister  figure  of 
the  late  Professor  Moriarty  standing  upon  the  narrow  path- 
way which  led  to  safety.  I  read  an  inexorable  purpose  in  his 
grey  eyes.  I  exchanged  some  remarks  with  him,  therefore,  and 
obtained  his  courteous  permission  to  write  the  short  note 
which  you  afterwards  received.  I  left  it  with  my  cigarette- 
box  and  my  stick,  and  I  walked  along  the  pathway,  Moriarty 
still  at  my  heels.  When  I  reached  the  end  I  stood  at  bay.  He 
drew  no  weapon,  but  he  rushed  at  me  and  threw  his  long 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE  11 

arms  around  me.  He  knew  that  his  own  game  was  up,  and 
was  only  anxious  to  revenge  himself  upon  me.  We  tottered 
together  upon  the  brink  of  the  fall.  I  have  some  knowledge, 
however,  of  baritsu,  or  the  Japanese  system  of  wrestling, 
which  has  more  than  once  been  very  useful  to  me.  I  slipped 
through  his  grip,  and  he  with  a  horrible  scream  kicked  madly 
for  a  few  seconds,  and  clawed  the  air  with  both  his  hands. 
But  for  ah1  his  efforts  he  could  not  get  his  balance,  and  over 
he  went.  With  my  face  over  the  brink,  I  saw  him  fall  for  a 
long  way.  Then  he  struck  a  rock,  bounded  off,  and  splashed 
into  the  water. " 

I  listened  with  amazement  to  this  explanation,  which  Holmes 
delivered  between  the  puffs  of  his  cigarette. 

"But  the  tracks!"  I  cried.  "I  saw,  with  my  own  eyes, 
that  two  went  down  the  path  and  none  returned. " 

"  It  came  about  in  this  way.  The  instant  that  the  Profes- 
sor had  disappeared,  it  struck  me  what  a  really  extraordinarily 
lucky  chance  Fate  had  placed  in  my  way.  I  knew  that  Moriarty 
was  not  the  only  man  who  had  sworn  my  death.  There  were 
at  least  three  others  whose  desire  for  vengeance  upon  me  would 
only  be  increased  by  the  death  of  their  leader.  They  were  all 
most  dangerous  men.  One  or  other  would  certainly  get  me. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  all  the  world  was  convinced  that  I  was 
dead  they  would  take  liberties,  these  men,  they  would  soon  lay 
themselves  open,  and  sooner  or  later  I  could  destroy  them. 
Then  it  would  be  time  for  me  to  announce  that  I  was  still  in  the 
land  of  the  living.  So  rapidly  does  the  brain  act  that  I  believe 
I  had  thought  this  all  out  before  Professor  Moriarty  had  reached 
the  bottom  of  the  Reichenbach  Fall. 

"I  stood  up  and  examined  the  rocky  wall  behind  me.  In 
your  picturesque  account  of  the  matter,  which  I  read  with  great 


12  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

interest  some  months  later,  you  assert  that  the  wall  was  sheer. 
That  was  not  literally  true.  A  few  small  footholds  presented 
themselves,  and  there  was  some  indication  of  a  ledge.  The 
cliff  is  so  high  that  to  climb  it  all  was  an  obvious  impossibility, 
and  it  was  equally  impossible  to  make  my  way  along  the  wet 
path  without  leaving  some  tracks.  I  might,  it  is  true,  have  re- 
versed my  boots,  as  I  have  done  on  similar  occasions,  but  the 
sight  of  three  sets  of  tracks  in  one  direction  would  certainly 
have  suggested  a  deception.  On  the  whole,  then,  it  was  best 
that  I  should  risk  the  climb.  It  was  not  a  pleasant  business, 
Watson.  The  fall  roared  beneath  me.  I  am  not  a  fanciful 
person,  but  I  give  you  my  word  that  I  seemed  to  hear  Mori- 
arty's  voice  screaming  at  me  out  of  the  abyss.  A  mistake  would 
have  been  fatal.  More  than  once,  as  tufts  of  grass  came  out 
in  my  hand  or  my  foot  slipped  in  the  wet  notches  of  the  rock, 
I  thought  that  I  was  gone.  But  I  struggled  upward,  and  at 
last  I  reached  a  ledge  several  feet  deep  and  covered  with  soft 
green  moss,  where  I  could  lie  unseen  in  the  most  perfect  com- 
fort. There  I  was  stretched,  when  you,  my  dear  Watson,  and 
all  your  following  were  investigating  in  the  most  sympathetic 
and  inefficient  manner  the  circumstances  of  my  death. 

"  At  last,  when  you  had  all  formed  your  inevitable  and  totally 
erroneous  conclusions,  you  departed  for  the  hotel,  and  I  was  left 
alone.  I  had  imagined  that  I  had  reached  the  end  of  my  ad- 
ventures, but  a  very  unexpected  occurrence  showed  me  that 
there  were  surprises  still  in  store  for  me.  A  huge  rock,  falling 
from  above,  boomed  past  me,  struck  the  path,  and  bounded 
over  into  the  chasm.  For  an  instant  I  thought  that  it  was  an 
accident,  but  a  moment  later,  looking  up,  I  saw  a  man's  head 
against  the  darkening  sky,  and  another  stone  struck  the  very 
ledge  upon  which  I  was  stretched,  within  a  foot  of  my  head. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       13 

Of  course,  the  meaning  of  this  was  obvious.  Moriarty  had  not 
been  alone.  A  confederate  —  and  even  that  one  glance  had 
told  me  how  dangerous  a  man  that  confederate  was  —  had  kept 
guard  while  the  Professor  had  attacked  me.  From  a  distance, 
unseen  by  me,  he  had  been  a  witness  of  his  friend's  death  and 
of  my  escape.  He  had  waited,  and  then  making  his  way 
round  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  he  had  endeavoured  to  succeed 
where  his  comrade  had  failed. 

"  I  did  not  take  long  to  think  about  it,  Watson.  Again  I  saw 
that  grim  face  look  over  the  cliff,  and  I  knew  that  it  was  the 
precursor  of  another  stone.  I  scrambled  down  on  to  the  path. 
I  don't  think  I  could  have  done  it  in  cold  blood.  It  was  a  hun- 
dred times  more  difficult  than  getting  up.  But  I  had  no  time 
to  think  of  the  danger,  for  another  stone  sang  past  me  as  I  hung 
by  my  hands  from  the  edge  of  the  ledge.  Half-way  down  I 
slipped,  but,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I  landed,  torn  and  bleed- 
ing, upon  the  path.  I  took  to  my  heels,  did  ten  miles  over  the 
mountains  in  the  darkness,  and  a  week  later,  I  found  myself  in 
Florence,  with  the  certainty  that  no  one  in  the  world  knew  what 
had  become  of  me. 

"  I  had  only  one  confidant  —  my  brother  Mycroft.  I  owe  you 
many  apologies,  my  dear  Watson,  but  it  was  all-important  that 
it  should  be  thought  I  was  dead,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  you 
would  not  have  written  so  convincing  an  account  of  my  unhappy 
end  had  you  not  yourself  thought  that  it  was  true.  Several 
times  during  the  last  three  years,  I  have  taken  up  my  pen  to  write 
to  you,  but  always  I  feared  lest  your  affectionate  regard  for  me 
should  tempt  you  to  some  indiscretion  which  would  betray  my 
secret.  For  that  reason  I  turned  away  from  you  this  evening 
when  you  upset  my  books,  for  I  was  in  danger  at  the  time,  and 
any  show  of  surprise  and  emotion  upon  your  part  might  have 


14  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

drawn  attention  to  my  identity  and  led  to  the  most  deplorable 
and  irreparable  results.  As  to  Mycroft,  I  had  to  confide  in  him 
in  order  to  obtain  the  money  which  I  needed.  The  course  of 
events  in  London  did  not  run  so  well  as  I  had  hoped,  for  the 
trial  of  the  Moriarty  gang  left  two  of  its  most  dangerous  mem- 
bers, my  own  most  vindictive  enemies,  at  liberty.  I  travelled 
for  two  years  in  Tibet,  therefore,  and  amused  myself  by  visiting 
Lhassa,  and  spending  some  days  with  the  head  Llama.  You 
may  have  read  of  the  remarkable  explorations  of  a  Norwegian 
named  Sigerson,  but  I  am  sure  that  it  never  occurred  to  you 
that  you  were  receiving  news  of  your  frined.  I  then  passed 
through  Persia,  looked  in  at  Mecca,  and  paid  a  short  but  inter- 
esting visit  to  the  Khalifa  at  Khartoum,  the  results  of  which  I 
have  communicated  to  the  Foreign  Office.  Returning  to 
France,  I  spent  some  months  in  a  research  into  the  coal-tar 
derivatives,  which  I  conducted  in  a  laboratory  at  Montpellier, 
in  the  South  of  France.  Having  concluded  this  to  my  satis- 
faction, and  learning  that  only  one  of  my  enemies  was  now  left 
in  London,  I  was  about  to  return  when  my  movements  were 
hastened  by  the  news  of  this  very  remarkable  Park  Lane  Mys- 
tery, which  not  only  appealed  to  me  by  its  own  merits,  but 
which  seemed  to  offer  some  most  peculiar  personal  opportu- 
nities. I  came  over  at  once  to  London,  called  in  my  own  per- 
son at  Baker  Street,  threw  Mrs.  Hudson  into  violent  hysterics, 
and  found  that  Mycroft  had  preserved  my  rooms  and  my  pa- 
pers exactly  as  they  had  always  been.  So  it  was,  my  dear  Wat- 
son, that  at  two  o'clock  to  day  I  found  myself  in  my  old  arm- 
chair in  my  own  old  room,  and  only  wishing  that  I  could  have 
seen  my  old  friend  Watson  in  the  other  chair  which  he  has  so 
often  adorned. " 

Such  was  the  remarkable  narrative  to  which  I  listened  on 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE  15 

that  April  evening  —  a  narrative  which  would  have  been  utterly 
incredible  to  me  had  it  not  been  confirmed  by  the  actual  sight 
of  the  tall,  spare  figure  and  the  keen,  eager  face,  which  I  had 
never  thought  to  see  again.  In  some  manner  he  had  learned 
of  my  own  sad  bereavement,  and  his  sympathy  was  shown  in  his 
manner  rather  than  in  his  words.  "  Work  is  the  best  antidote 
to  sorrow,  my  dear  Watson, "  said  he;  "and  I  have  a  piece  of 
work  for  us  both  to-night  which,  if  we  can  bring  it  to  a  success- 
ful conclusion,  will  in  itself  justify  a  man's  life  on  this  planet. " 
In  vain  I  begged  him  to  tell  me  more.  "  You  will  hear  and  see 
enough  before  morning, "  he  answered.  "  We  have  three  years 
of  the  past  to  discuss.  Let  that  suffice  until  half -past  nine, 
when  we  start  upon  the  notable  adventure  of  the  empty  house." 

It  was  indeed  like  old  times  when,  at  that  hour,  I  found  my- 
self seated  beside  him  in  a  hansom,  my  revolver  in  my  pocket, 
and  the  thrill  of  adventure  in  my  heart.  Holmes  was  cold  and 
stern  and  silent.  As  the  gleam  of  the  street-lamps  flashed  upon 
his  austere  features,  I  saw  that  his  brows  were  drawn  down  in 
thought  and  his  thin  lips  compressed.  I  knew  not  what  wild 
beast  we  were  about  to  hunt  down  in  the  dark  jungle  of  crimi- 
nal London,  but  I  was  well  assured,  from  the  bearing  of  this 
master  huntsman,  that  the  adventure  was  a  most  grave  one  — 
while  the  sardonic  smile  which  occasionally  broke  through  his 
ascetic  gloom  boded  little  good  for  the  object  of  our  quest. 

I  had  imagined  that  we  were  bound  for  Baker  Street,  but 
Holmes  stopped  the  cab  at  the  corner  of  Cavendish  Square.  I 
observed  that  as  he  stepped  out  he  gave  a  most  searching  glance 
to  right  and  left,  and  at  every  subsequent  street  corner  he  took 
the  utmost  pains  to  assure  that  he  was  not  followed.  Our  route 
was  certainly  a  singular  one.  Holmes'  knowledge  of  the  by- 
ways of  London  was  extraordinary,  and  on  this  occasion  he 


16  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

passed  rapidly  and  with  an  assured  step  through  a  network  of 
mews  and  stables,  the  very  existence  of  which  I  had  never 
known.  We  emerged  at  last  into  a  small  road,  lined  with  old, 
gloomy  houses,  which  led  us  into  Manchester  Street,  and  so  to 
Blandford  Street.  Here  he  turned  swiftly  down  a  narrow  pas- 
sage, passed  through  a  wooden  gate  into  a  deserted  yard,  and 
then  opened  with  a  key  the  back  door  of  a  house.  We  entered 
together,  and  he  closed  it  behind  us. 

The  place  was  pitch-dark,  but  it  was  evident  to  me  that  it  was 
an  empty  house.  Our  feet  creaked  and  crackled  over  the  bare 
planking,  and  my  outstretched  hand  touched  a  wall  from  which 
the  paper  was  hanging  in  ribbons.  Holmes'  cold,  thin  fingers 
closed  round  my  wrist  and  led  me  forwards  down  a  long  hall, 
until  I  dimly  saw  the  murky  fanlight  over  the  door.  Here 
Holmes  turned  suddenly  to  the  right,  and  we  found  ourselves  in 
a  large,  square,  empty  room,  heavily  shadowed  in  the  corners, 
but  faintly  lit  in  the  centre  from  the  lights  of  the  street  beyond. 
There  was  no  lamp  near,  and  the  window  was  thick  with  dust, 
so  that  we  could  only  just  discern  each  other's  figures  within. 
My  companion  put  his  hand  upon  my  shoulder  and  his  lips 
close  to  my  ear. 

"  Do  you  know  where  we  are  ?  "  he  whispered. 

"  Surely  that  is  Baker  Street, "  I  answered,  staring  through 
the  dim  window. 

"Exactly.  We  are  in  Camden  House,  which  stands  oppo- 
site to  our  own  old  quarters. " 

"  But  why  are  we  here  ?  " 

"  Because  it  commands  so  excellent  a  view  of  that  pictur- 
esque pile.  Might  I  trouble  you,  my  dear  Watson,  to  draw  a 
little  nearer  to  the  window,  taking  every  precaution  not  to  show 
yourself,  and  then  to  look  up  at  our  old  rooms  —  the  starting- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE      17 

point  of  so  many  of  your  little  fairy-tales  ?  We  will  see  if  my 
three  years  of  absence  have  entirely  taken  away  my  power  to 
surprise  you." 

I  crept  forward  and  looked  across  at  the  familiar  window. 
As  my  eyes  fell  upon  it,  I  gave  a  gasp  and  a  cry  of  amazement. 
The  blind  was  down,  and  a  strong  light  was  burning  in  the  room. 
The  shadow  of  a  man  who  was  seated  in  a  chair  within  was 
thrown  in  hard,  black  outline  upon  the  luminous  screen  of  the 
window.  There  was  no  mistaking  the  poise  of  the  head,  the 
squareness  of  the  shoulders,  the  sharpness  of  the  features.  The 
face  was  turned  half-round,  and  the  effect  was  that  of  one  of 
those  black  silhouettes  which  our  grandparents  loved  to  frame. 
It  was  a  perfect  reproduction  of  Holmes.  So  amazed  was  I 
that  I  threw  out  my  hand  to  make  sure  that  the  man  himself  was 
standing  beside  me.  He  was  quivering  with  silent  laughter. 

"Well?"  said  he. 

"  Good  Heavens ! "  I  cried.     "  It  is  marvellous. " 

"  I  trust  that  age  doth  not  wither  nor  custom  stale  my  infinite 
variety, "  said  he,  and  I  recognized  in  his  voice  the  joy  and  pride 
which  the  artist  takes  in  his  own  creation.  "  It  really  is  rather 
like  me,  is  it  not  ? " 

"  I  should  be  prepared  to  swear  that  it  was  you. " 

"  The  credit  of  the  execution  is  due  to  Monsieur  Oscar  Meu- 
nier,  of  Grenoble,  who  spent  some  days  in  doing  the  moulding. 
It  is  a  bust  in  wax.  The  rest  I  arranged  myself  during  my  visit 
to  Baker  Street  this  afternoon.  " 

"But  why?" 

"  Because,  my  dear  Watson,  I  had  the  strongest  possible  rea- 
son for  wishing  certain  people  to  think  that  I  was  there  when  I 
was  really  elsewhere. " 

"  And  you  thought  the  rooms  were  watched  ?  " 


18        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  I  knew  that  they  were  watched. " 

"By  whom?" 

"By  my  old  enemies,  Watson.  By  the  charming  society 
whose  leader  lies  in  the  Reichenbach  Fall.  You  must  remem- 
ber that  they  knew,  and  only  they  knew,  that  I  was  still  alive. 
Sooner  or  later  they  believed  that  I  should  come  back  to  my 
rooms.  They  watched  them  continuously,  and  this  morning 
they  saw  me  arrive. " 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Because  I  recognized  their  sentinel  when  I  glanced  out  of 
my  window.  He  is  a  harmless  enough  fellow,  Parker  by  name, 
a  garroter  by  trade,  and  a  remarkable  performer  upon  the  Jew's- 
harp.  I  cared  nothing  for  him.  But  I  cared  a  great  deal  for 
the  much  more  formidable  person  who  was  behind  him,  the 
bosom  friend  of  Moriarty,  the  man  who  dropped  the  rocks  over 
the  cliff,  the  most  cunning  and  dangerous  criminal  in  London. 
That  is  the  man  who  is  after  me  to-night,  Watson,  and  that  is 
the  man  who  is  quite  unaware  that  we  are  after  him. " 

My  friend's  plans  were  gradually  revealing  themselves. 
From  this  convenient  retreat,  the  watchers  were  being  watched 
and  the  trackers  tracked.  That  angular  shadow  up  yonder 
was  the  bait,  and  we  were  the  hunters.  In  silence  we  stood  to- 
gether in  the  darkness,  and  watched  the  hurrying  figures  who 
passed  and  repassed  in  front  of  us.  Holmes  was  silent  and 
motionless ;  but  I  could  tell  that  he  was  keenly  alert,  and  that 
his  eyes  were  fixed  intently  upon  the  stream  of  passers-by.  It 
was  a  bleak  and  boisterous  night,  and  the  wind  whistled  shrilly 
down  the  long  street.  Many  people  were  moving  to  and  fro, 
most  of  them  muffled  in  their  coats  and  cravats.  Once  or 
twice  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  had  seen  the  same  figure  before, 
and  I  especially  noticed  two  men  who  appeared  to  be  sheltering 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       19 

themselves  from  the  wind  in  the  doorway  of  a  house  some  dis- 
tance up  the  street.  I  tried  to  draw  my  companion's  attention 
to  them;  but  he  gave  a  little  ejaculation  of  impatience,  and  con- 
tinued to  stare  into  the  street.  More  than  once  he  fidgeted 
with  his  feet  and  tapped  rapidly  with  his  fingers  upon  the 
wall.  It  was  evident  to  me  that  he  was  becoming  uneasy,  and 
that  his  plans  were  not  working  out  altogether  as  he  had  hoped. 
At  last,  as  midnight  approached  and  the  street  gradually 
cleared,  he  paced  up  and  down  the  room  in  uncontrollable 
agitation.  I  was  about  to  make  some  remark  to  him,  when  I 
raised  my  eyes  to  the  lighted  window,  and  again  experienced 
almost  as  great  a  surprise  as  before.  I  clutched  Holmes'  arm, 
and  pointed  upwards. 

"  The  shadow  has  moved ! "  I  cried. 

It  was  indeed  no  longer  the  profile,  but  the  back,  which  was 
turned  toward  us. 

Three  years  had  certainly  not  smoothed  the  asperities  of  his 
temper  or  his  impatience  with  a  less  active  intelligence  than  his 
own. 

"  Of  course  it  has  moved, "  said  he.  "  Am  I  such  a  farcical 
bungler,  Watson,  that  I  should  erect  an  obvious  dummy,  and 
expect  that  some  of  the  sharpest  men  in  Europe  would  be  de- 
ceived by  it  ?  We  have  been  in  this  room  two  hours,  and  Mrs. 
Hudson  has  made  some  change  in  that  figure  eight  times,  or 
once  in  every  quarter  of  an  hour.  She  works  it  from  the  front, 
so  that  her  shadow  may  never  be  seen.  Ah!"  He  drew  in  his 
breath  with  a  shrill,  excited  intake.  In  the  dim  light  I  saw  his 
head  thrown  forward,  his  whole  attitude  rigid  with  attention. 
Outside  the  street  was  absolutely  deserted.  Those  two  men 
might  still  be  crouching  in  the  doorway,  but  I  could  no  longer 
see  them.  All  was  still  and  dark,  save  only  that  brilliant  yel- 


30  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

low  screen  in  front  of  us  with  the  black  figure  outlined  upon  its 
centre.  Again  in  the  utter  silence  I  heard  that  thin,  sibilant 
note  which  spoke  of  intense  suppressed  excitement.  An  in- 
stant later  he  pulled  me  back  into  the  blackest  corner  of  the 
room,  and  I  felt  his  warning  hand  upon  my  lips.  The  fingers 
which  clutched  me  were  quivering.  Never  had  I  known  my 
friend  more  moved,  and  yet  the  dark  street  still  stretched  lonely 
and  motionless  before  us. 

But  suddenly  I  was  aware  of  that  which  his  keener  senses  had 
already  distinguished.  A  low,  stealthy  sound  came  to  my  ears, 
not  from  the  direction  of  Baker  Street,  but  from  the  back  of  the 
very  house  in  which  we  lay  concealed.  A  door  opened  and  shut. 
An  instant  later  steps  crept  down  the  passage  —  steps  which 
were  meant  to  be  silent,  but  which  reverberated  harshly  through 
the  empty  house.  Holmes  crouched  back  against  the  wall  and 
I  did  the  same,  my  hand  closing  upon  the  handle  of  my  revol- 
ver. Peering  through  the  gloom,  I  saw  the  vague  outline  of  a 
man,  a  shade  blacker  than  the  blackness  of  the  open  door.  He 
stood  for  an  instant,  and  then  he  crept  forward,  crouching, 
menacing,  into  the  room.  He  was  within  three  yards  of  us, 
this  sinister  figure,  and  I  had  braced  myself  to  meet  his  spring, 
before  I  realized  that  he  had  no  idea  of  our  presence.  He  passed 
close  beside  us,  stole  over  to  the  window,  and  very  softly  and 
noiselessly  raised  it  for  half  a  foot.  As  he  sank  to  the  level  of  this 
opening,  the  light  of  the  street,  no  longer  dimmed  by  the  dusty 
glass,  fell  full  upon  his  face.  The  man  seemed  to  be  beside 
himself  with  excitement.  His  two  eyes  shone  like  stars,  and  his 
features  were  working  convulsively.  He  was  an  elderly  man, 
with  a  thin,  projecting  nose,  a  high,  bald  forehead,  and  a  huge 
grizzled  moustache.  An  opera  hat  was  pushed  to  the  back  of 
his  head,  and  an  evening  dress  shirt-front  gleamed  out  through 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       21 

his  open  overcoat.  His  face  was  gaunt  and  swarthy,  scored 
with  deep,  savage  lines.  In  his  hand  he  carried  what  appeared 
to  be  a  stick,  but  as  he  laid  it  down  upon  the  floor  it  gave  a  me- 
tallic clang.  Then  from  the  pocket  of  his  overcoat  he  drew  a 
bulky  object,  and  he  busied  himself  in  some  task  which  ended 
with  a  loud,  sharp  click,  as  if  a  spring  or  bolt  had  fallen  into 
its  place.  Still  kneeling  upon  the  floor  he  bent  forward  and 
threw  all  his  weight  and  strength  upon  some  lever,  with  the  re- 
sult that  there  came  a  long,  whirling,  grinding  noise,  ending 
once  more  in  a  powerful  click.  He  straightened  himself  then, 
and  I  saw  that  what  he  held  in  his  hand  was  a  sort  of  a  gun,  with 
a  curiously  misshapen  butt.  He  opened  it  at  the  breech,  put 
something  in,  and  snapped  the  breech-block.  Then,  crouch- 
ing down,  he  rested  the  end  of  the  barrel  upon  the  ledge  of  the 
open  window,  and  I  saw  his  long  moustache  droop  over  the  stock 
and  his  eye  gleam  as  it  peered  along  the  sights.  I  heard  a  little 
sigh  of  satisfaction  as  he  cuddled  the  butt  into  his  shoulder,  and 
saw  that  amazing  target,  the  black  man  on  the  yellow  ground, 
standing  clear  at  the  end  of  his  fore-sight.  For  an  instant  he 
was  rigid  and  motionless.  Then  his  finger  tightened  on  the  trig- 
ger. There  was  a  strange,  loud  whiz  and  a  long,  silvery  tin- 
kle of  broken  glass.  At  that  instant  Holmes  sprang  like  a 
tiger  on  to  the  marksman's  back,  and  hurled  him  flat  upon 
his  face.  He  was  up  again  in  a  moment,  and  with  con- 
vulsive strength  he  seized  Holmes  by  the  throat,  but  I  struck 
him  on  the  head  with  the  butt  of  my  revolver,  and  he  dropped 
again  upon  the  floor.  I  fell  upon  him,  and  as  I  held  him  my 
comrade  blew  a  shrill  call  upon  a  whistle.  There  was  the  clat- 
ter of  running  feet  upon  the  pavement,  and  two  policemen  in 
uniform,  with  one  plain-clothes  detective,  rushed  through  the 
front  entrance  and  into  the  room. 


22        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  That  you,  Lestrade  ?  "  said  Holmes. 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  took  the  job  myself.  It's  good  to  see 
you  back  in  London,  sir. " 

"  I  think  you  want  a  little  unofficial  help.  Three  undetected 
murders  in  one  year  won't  do,  Lestrade.  But  you  handled  the 
Molesey  Mystery  with  less  than  your  usual  —  that's  to  say,  you 
handled  it  fairly  well. " 

We  had  all  risen  to  our  feet,  our  prisoner  breathing  hard,  with 
a  stalwart  constable  on  each  side  of  him.  Already  a  few  loiterers 
had  begun  to  collect  in  the  street.  Holmes  stepped  up  to  the 
window,  closed  it,  and  dropped  the  blinds.  Lestrade  had 
produced  two  candles,  and  the  policemen  had  uncovered 
their  lanterns.  I  was  able  at  last  to  have  a  good  look  at  our 
prisoner. 

It  was  a  tremendously  virile  and  yet  sinister  face  which  was 
turned  towards  us.  With  the  brow  of  a  philosopher  above  and 
the  jaw  of  a  sensualist  below,  the  man  must  have  started  with 
great  capacities  for  good  or  for  evil.  But  one  could  not  look  upon 
his  cruel  blue  eyes,  with  their  drooping,  cynical  lids,  or  upon  the 
fierce,  aggressive  nose  and  the  threatening,  deep-lined  brow, 
without  reading  Nature's  plainest  danger-signals.  He  took  no 
heed  of  any  of  us,  but  his  eyes  were  fixed  upon  Holmes'  face 
with  an  expression  in  which  hatred  and  amazement  were  equally 
blended.  "You  fiend!"  he  kept  on  muttering,  "you  clever, 
clever  fiend ! " 

"Ah,  Colonel!"  said  Holmes,  arranging  his  rumpled  collar, 

4  journeys  end  in  lovers'  meetings,'  as  the  old  play  says.  I  don't 
think  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  since  you  favoured 
me  with  those  attentions  as  I  lay  on  the  ledge  above  the  Reichen- 
bachFall." 

The    Colonel    still    stared    at    my  friend   like  a  man  in 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE       23 

a  trance.  "You  cunning,  cunning  fiend!"  was  all  that  he 
could  say. 

"  I  have  not  introduced  you  yet, "  said  Holmes.  "  This  gen- 
tlemen, is  Colonel  Sebastian  Moran,  once  of  her  Majesty's 
Indian  Army,  and  the  best  heavy-game  shot  that  our  Eastern 
Empire  has  ever  produced.  I  believe  I  am  correct,  Colonel,  in 
saying  that  your  bag  of  tigers  still  remains  unrivalled  ?  " 

The  fierce  old  man  said  nothing,  but  still  glared  at  my  com- 
panionist  with  his  savage  eyes  and  bristling  moustache  he  was 
wonderfully  like  a  tiger  himself. 

"  I  wonder  that  my  very  simple  stratagem  could  deceive  so  old 
a  shikari,"  said  Holmes.  "It  must  be  very  familiar  to  you. 
Have  you  not  tethered  a  young  kid  under  a  tree,  lain  above  it 
with  your  rifle,  and  waited  for  the  bait  to  bring  up  your  tiger  ? 
This  empty  house  is  my  tree,  and  you  are  my  tiger.  You  have 
possibly  had  other  guns  in  reserve  in  case  there  should  be  several 
tigers,  or  in  the  unlikely  supposition  of  your  own  aim  failing  you. 
These, "  he  pointed  around,  "  are  my  other  guns.  The  parallel 
is  exact. " 

Colonel  Moran  sprang  forward  with  a  snarl  of  rage,  but  the 
constables  dragged  him  back.  The  fury  upon  his  face  was  ter- 
rible to  look  at. 

"I  confess  that  you  had  one  small  surprise  for  me,"  said 
Holmes.  "  I  did  not  anticipate  that  you  would  yourself  make 
use  of  this  empty  house  and  this  convenient  front  window.  I 
had  imagined  you  as  operating  from  the  street,  where  my  friend 
Lestrade  and  his  merry  men  were  awaiting  you.  With  that 
exception,  all  has  gone  as  I  expected. " 

Colonel  Moran  turned  to  the  official  detective. 

"  You  may  or  may  not  have  just  cause  for  arresting  me, "  said 
he,  "  but  at  least  there  can  be  no  reason  why  I  should  submit  to 


24        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  gibes  of  this  person.     If  I  am  in  the  hands  of  the  law,  let 
things  be  done  in  a  legal  way. " 

"  Well,  that's  reasonable  enough, "  said  Lestrade.  "  Nothing 
further  you  have  to  say,  Mr.  Holmes,  before  we  go  ?  " 

Holmes  had  picked  up  the  powerful  air-gun  from  the  floor, 
and  was  examining  its  mechanism. 

"An  admirable  and  unique  weapon, "  said  he,  " noiseless  and 
of  tremendous  power.  I  knew  Von  Herder,  the  blind  German 
mechanic,  who  constructed  it  to  the  order  of  the  late  Professor 
Moriarty.  For  years  I  have  been  aware  of  its  existence,  though 
I  have  never  before  had  the  opportunity  of  handling  it.  I  com- 
mend it  very  specially  to  your  attention,  Lestrade,  and  also  the 
bullets  which  fit  it. " 

"  You  can  trust  us  to  look  after  that,  Mr.  Holmes, "  said  Les- 
trade, as  the  whole  party  moved  towards  the  door.  "  Anything 
further  to  say  ?  " 

"  Only  to  ask  what  charge  you  intend  to  prefer  ?  " 

"  What  charge,  sir  ?  Why,  of  course,  the  attempted  murder  of 
Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes. " 

"  Not  so,  Lestrade.  I  do  not  propose  to  appear  in  the  matter 
at  all.  To  you,  and  to  you  only,  belongs  the  credit  of  the  re- 
markable arrest  which  you  have  effected.  Yes,  Lestrade,  I  con- 
gratulate you !  With  your  usual  happy  mixture  of  cunning  and 
audacity,  you  have  got  him. " 

"  Got  him !  Got  whom,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 

"  The  man  that  the  whole  force  has  been  seeking  in  vain  — 
Colonel  Sebastian  Moran,  who  shot  the  Honourable  Ronald 
Adair  with  an  expanding  bullet  from  an  air-gun  through  the  open 
window  of  the  second-floor  front  of  No.  427,  Park  Lane,  upon 
the  30th  of  last  month.  That's  the  charge,  Lestrade.  And 
now,  Watson,  if  you  can  endure  the  draught  from  a  broken 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE  25 

window,  I  think  that  half  an  hour  in  my  study  over  a  cigar  may 
afford  you  some  profitable  amusement. " 

Our  old  chambers  had  been  left  unchanged  through  the  super- 
vision of  Mycroft  Holmes  and  the  immediate  care  of  Mrs.  Hud- 
son. As  I  entered  I  saw,  it  is  true,  an  unwonted  tidiness,  but  the 
old  landmarks  were  all  in  their  place.  There  was  the  chemical 
corner  and  the  acid-stained,  deal-topped  table.  There  upon  a 
shelf  was  the  row  of  formidable  scrap-books  and  books  of  refer- 
ence which  many  of  our  fellow-citizens  would  have  been  so  glad 
to  burn.  The  diagrams,  the  violin-case,  and  the  pipe-rack  — 
even  the  Persian  slipper  which  contained  the  tobacco  —  all  met 
my  eyes  as  I  glanced  round  me.  There  were  two  occupants  of 
the  room  —  one,  Mrs.  Hudson,  who  beamed  upon  us  both  as  we 
entered — the  other,  the  strange  dummy  which  had  played  so  im- 
portant a  part  in  the  evening's  adventures.  It  was  a  wax-col- 
oured model  of  my  friend,  so  admirably  done  that  it  was  a  per- 
fect facsimile.  It  stood  on  a  small  pedestal  table  with  an  old 
dressing-gown  of  Holmes'  so  draped  round  it  that  the  illusion 
from  the  street  was  absolutely  perfect. 

"  I  hope  you  preserved  all  precautions,  Mrs.  Hudson  ?  "  said 
Holmes. 

"  I  went  to  it  on  my  knees,  sir,  just  as  you  told  me. " 

"  Excellent.  You  carried  the  thing  out  very  well.  Did  you 
observe  where  the  bullet  went  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.  I'm  afraid  it  has  spoilt  your  beautiful  bust,  for  it 
passed  right  through  the  head  and  flattened  itself  on  the  wall.  I 
picked  it  up  from  the  carpet.  Here  it  is ! " 

Holmes  held  it  out  to  me.  "  A  soft  revolver  bullet,  as  you  per- 
ceive, Watson.  There's  genius  in  that,  for  who  would  expect  to 
find  such  a  thing  fired  from  an  air-gun.  All  right,  Mrs.  Hudson, 


26  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

I  am  much  obliged  for  your  assistance.  And  now,  Watson,  let 
me  see  you  in  your  old  seat  once  more,  for  there  are  several  points 
which  I  should  like  to  discuss  with  you. " 

He  had  thrown  off  the  seedy  frock-coat,  and  now  he  was  the 
Holmes  of  old  in  the  mouse-coloured  dressing-gown  which  he 
took  from  his  effigy. 

"The  old  shikari's  nerves  have  not  lost  their  steadiness,  nor 
his  eyes  their  keenness, "  said  he,  with  a  laugh,  as  he  inspected 
the  shattered  forehead  of  his  bust. 

"Plumb  in  the  middle  of  the  back  of  the  head  and  smack 
through  the  brain.  He  was  the  best  shot  in  India,  and  I  expect 
that  there  are  few  better  in  London.  Have  you  heard  the 
name  ?  " 

"No,  I  have  not." 

"  Well,  well,  such  is  fame !  But,  then,  if  I  remember  right,  you 
had  not  heard  the  name  of  Professor  James  Moriarty,  who  had 
one  of  the  great  brains  of  the  century.  Just  give  me  down  my 
index  of  biographies  from  the  shelf. " 

He  turned  over  the  pages  lazily,  leaning  back  in  his  chair  and 
blowing  great  clouds  from  his  cigar. 

"My  collection  of  M's  is  a  fine  one,"  said  he.  "Moriarty 
himself  is  enough  to  make  any  letter  illustrious,  and  here  is  Mor- 
gan the  poisoner,  and  Merridew  of  abominable  memory,  and 
Mathews,  who  knocked  out  my  left  canine  in  the  waiting-room 
at  Charing  Cross,  and,  finally,  here  is  our  friend  of  to-night.  " 

He  handed  over  the  book,  and  I  read :  "  Moran,  Sebastian, 
Colonel.  Unemployed.  Formerly  1st  Bengalore  Pioneers. 
Born  London,  1840.  Son  of  Sir  Augustus  Moran,  C.B.,  once 
British  Minister  to  Persia.  Educated  Eton  and  Oxford.  Served 
in  Jowaki  Campaign,  Afghan  Campaign,  Charasiab  (des- 
patches), Sherpur,  and  Cabul.  Author  of  'Heavy  Game  of  the 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE  27 

Western  Himalayas'  (1881);  'Three  Months  in  the  Jungle' 
(1884).  Address:  Conduit  Street.  Clubs:  The  Anglo-Indian, 
the  Tankerville,  the  Bagatelle  Card  Club. " 

On  the  margin  was  written,  in  Holmes'  precise  hand:  "The 
second  most  dangerous  man  in  London. " 

"  This  is  astonishing, "  said  I,  as  I  handed  back  the  volume. 
"  The  man's  career  is  that  of  an  honourable  soldier. " 

"  It  is  true,"  Holmes  answered.  "  Up  to  a  certain  point  he  did 
well.  He  was  always  a  man  of  iron  nerve,  and  the  story  is  still 
told  in  India  how  he  crawled  down  a  drain  after  a  wounded  man- 
eating  tiger.  There  are  some  trees,  Watson,  which  grow  to  a 
certain  height,  and  then  suddenly  develop  some  unsightly  eccen- 
tricity. You  will  see  it  often  in  humans.  I  have  a  theory  that 
the  individual  represents  in  his  development  the  whole  procession 
of  his  ancestors,  and  that  such  a  sudden  turn  to  good  or  evil 
stands  for  some  strong  influence  which  came  into  the  line  of  his 
pedigree.  The  person  becomes,  as  it  were,  the  epitome  of  the 
history  of  his  own  family. " 

"  It  is  surely  rather  fanciful.  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  insist  upon  it.  Whatever  the  cause,  Colonel 
Moran  began  to  go  wrong.  Without  any  open  scandal,  he  still 
made  India  too  hot  to  hold  him.  He  retired,  came  to  London, 
and  again  acquired  an  evil  name.  It  was  at  this  time  that  he 
was  sought  out  by  Professor  Moriarty,  to  whom  for  a  time  he  was 
chief  of  the  staff.  Moriarty  supplied  him  liberally  with  money, 
and  used  him  only  in  one  or  two  very  high-class  jobs,  which  no 
ordinary  criminal  could  have  undertaken.  You  may  have  some 
recollection  of  the  death  of  Mrs.  Stewart,  of  Lauder,  in  1887. 
Not  ?  Well,  I  am  sure  Moran  was  at  the  bottom  of  it,  but  noth- 
ing could  be  proved.  So  cleverly  was  the  Colonel  concealed  that, 
even  when  the  Moriarty  gang  was  broken  up,  we  could  not  in- 


28  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

criminate  him  You  remember  at  that  date,  when  I  called  upon 
you  in  your  rooms,  how  I  put  up  the  shutters  for  fear  of  air-guns  ? 
No  doubt  you  thought  me  fanciful.  I  knew  exactly  what  I  was 
doing,  for  I  knew  of  the  existence  of  this  remarkable  gun,  and 
I  knew  also  that  one  of  the  best  shots  in  the  world  would  be  be- 
hind it.  When  we  were  in  Switzerland  he  followed  us  with  Mori- 
arty,  and  it  was  undoubtedly  he  who  gave  me  that  evil  five  min- 
utes on  the  Reichenbach  ledge. 

"  You  may  think  that  I  read  the  papers  with  some  attention 
during  my  sojourn  in  France,  on  the  look-out  for  any  chance  of 
laying  him  by  the  heels.  So  long  as  he  was  free  in  London,  my 
life  would  really  not  have  been  worth  living.  Night  and  day  the 
shadow  would  have  been  over  me,  and  sooner  or  later  his  chance 
must  have  come.  What  could  I  do  ?  I  could  not  shoot  him  at 
sight,  or  I  should  myself  be  in  the  dock.  There  was  no  use 
appealing  to  a  magistrate.  They  cannot  interfere  on  the  strength 
of  what  would  appear  to  them  to  be  a  wild  suspicion.  So  I  could 
do  nothing.  But  I  watched  the  criminal  news,  knowing  that 
sooner  or  later  I  should  get  him.  Then  came  the  death  of  this 
Ronald  Adair.  My  chance  had  come  at  last.  Knowing  what  I 
did,  was  it  not  certain  that  Colonel  Moran  had  done  it  ?  He  had 
played  cards  with  the  lad,  he  had  followed  him  home  from  the 
club,  he  had  shot  him  through  the  open  window.  There  was 
not  a  doubt  of  it.  The  bullets  alone  are  enough  to  put  his  head 
in  a  noose.  I  came  over  at  once.  I  was  seen  by  the  sentinel, 
who  would,  I  knew,  direct  the  Colonel's  attention  to  my  presence. 
He  could  not  fail  to  connect  my  sudden  return  with  his  crime, 
and  to  be  terribly  alarmed.  I  was  sure  that  he  would  make 
an  attempt  to  get  me  out  of  the  way  at  once,  and  would  bring 
round  his  murderous  weapon  for  that  purpose.  I  left  him  an 
excellent  mark  in  the  window,  and,  having  warned  the  police 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  EMPTY  HOUSE      29 

that  they  might  be  needed  —  by  the  way,  Watson,  you  spotted 
their  presence  in  that  doorway  with  unerring  accuracy  —  I  took 
up  what  seemed  to  me  to  be  a  judicious  post  for  observation, 
never  dreaming  that  he  would  choose  the  same  spot  for  his  attack. 
Now,  my  dear  Watson,  does  anything  remain  for  me  to  explain  ?  " 

"  Yes, "  said  I.  "  You  have  not  made  it  clear  what  was  Colo- 
nel Moran's  motive  in  murdering  the  Honourable  Ronald 
Adair?" 

"Ah!  my  dear  Watson,  there  we  come  into  those  realms  of 
conjecture,  where  the  most  logical  mind  may  be  at  fault.  Each 
may  form  his  own  hypothesis  upon  the  present  evidence,  and 
yours  is  as  likely  to  be  correct  as  mine. " 

"  You  have  formed  one,  then  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  it  is  not  difficult  to  explain  the  facts.  It  came 
out  in  evidence  that  Colonel  Moran  and  young  Adair  had,  be- 
tween them,  won  a  considerable  amount  of  money.  Now,  Mo- 
ran  undoubtedly  played  foul  —  of  that  I  have  long  been  aware. 
I  believe  that  on  the  day  of  the  murder  Adair  had  discovered  that 
Moran  was  cheating.  Very  likely  he  had  spoken  to  him  pri- 
vately, and  had  threatened  to  expose  him  unless  he  voluntarily 
resigned  his  membership  of  the  club,  and  promised  not  to  play 
cards  again.  It  is  unlikely  that  a  youngster  like  Adair  would 
at  once  make  a  hideous  scandal  by  exposing  a  well-known  man 
so  much  older  than  himself.  Probably  he  acted  as  I  suggest. 
The  exclusion  from  his  clubs  would  mean  ruin  to  Moran,  who 
lived  by  his  ill-gotten  card-gains.  He  therefore  murdered  Adair, 
who  at  the  time  was  endeavouring  to  work  out  how  much  money 
he  should  himself  return,  since  he  could  not  profit  by  his  partner's 
foul  play.  He  locked  the  door  lest  the  ladies  should  surprise 
him  and  insist  upon  knowing  what  he  was  doing  with  these 
names  and  coins.  Will  it  pass  ?  " 


30       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  have  hit  upon  the  truth. " 
"It  will  be  verified  or  disproved  at  the  trial.  Meanwhile, 
come  what  may,  Colonel  Moran  will  trouble  us  no  more.  The 
famous  air-gun  of  Von  Herder  will  embellish  the  Scotland  Yard 
Museum,  and  once  again  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  is  free  to  devote 
his  life  to  examining  those  interesting  little  problems  which  the 
complex  life  of  London  so  plentifully  presents. " 


n 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE    NORWOOD    BUILDER 

JT  ROM  the  point  of  view  of  the  criminal  expert,"  said  Mr. 
Sherlock  Holmes,  "London  has  become  a  singularly  unin- 
teresting city  since  the  death  of  the  late  lamented  Professor 
Moriarty." 

"  I  can  hardly  think  that  you  would  find  many  decent  citizens 
to  agree  with  you,"  I  answered. 

"  Well,  well,  I  must  not  be  selfish,"  said  he,  with  a  smile,  as 
he  pushed  back  his  chair  from  the  breakfast-table.  "  The  com- 
munity is  certainly  the  gainer,  and  no  one  the  loser,  save  the 
poor  out-of-work  specialist,  whose  occupation  has  gone.  With 
that  man  in  the  field,  one's  morning  paper  presented  infinite 
possibilities.  Often  it  was  only  the  smallest  trace,  Watson, 
the  faintest  indication,  and  yet  it  was  enough  to  tell  me  that 
the  great  malignant  brain  was  there,  as  the  gentlest  tremors  of 
the  edges  of  the  web  remind  one  of  the  foul  spider  which  lurks 
in  the  centre.  Petty  thefts,  wanton  assaults,  purposeless  out- 
rage —  to  the  man  who  held  the  clue  all  could  be  worked  into 
one  connected  whole.  To  the  scientific  student  of  the  higher 
criminal  world,  no  capital  in  Europe  offered  the  advantages 
which  London  then  possessed.  But  now  —  "  He  shrugged 


32  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

his  shoulders  in  humorous  deprecation  of  the  state  of  things 
which  he  had  himself  done  so  much  to  produce. 

At  the  time  of  which  I  speak,  Holmes  had  been  back  for  some 
months,  and  I  at  his  request  had  sold  my  practice  and  returned 
to  share  the  old  quarters  in  Baker  Street.  A  young  doctor, 
named  Verner,  had  purchased  my  small  Kensington  practice, 
and  given  with  astonishingly  little  demur  the  highest  price  that 
I  ventured  to  ask  —  an  incident  which  only  explained  itself 
some  years  later,  when  I  found  that  Verner  was  a  distant  relation 
of  Holmes,  and  that  it  was  my  friend  who  had  really  found 
the  money. 

Our  months  of  partnership  had  not  been  so  uneventful  as 
he  had  stated,  for  I  find,  on  looking  over  my  notes,  that  this 
period  includes  the  case  of  the  papers  of  ex-President  Murillo, 
and  also  the  shocking  affair  of  the  Dutch  steamship  Friesland, 
which  so  nearly  cost  us  both  our  lives.  His  cold  and  proud 
nature  was  always  averse,  however,  from  anything  in  the  shape 
of  public  applause,  and  he  bound  me  in  the  most  stringent  terms 
to  say  no  further  word  of  himself,  his  methods,  or  his  successes 
—  a  prohibition  which,  as  I  have  explained,  has  only  now  been 
removed. 

Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  was  leaning  back  in  his  chair  after  his 
whimsical  protest,  and  was  unfolding  his  morning  paper  in  a 
leisurely  fashion,  when  our  attention  was  arrested  by  a  tre- 
mendous ring  at  the  bell,  followed  immediately  by  a  hollow 
drumming  sound,  as  if  someone  were  beating  on  the  outer  door 
with  his  fist.  As  it  opened  there  came  a  tumultuous  rush  into 
the  hall,  rapid  feet  clattered  up  the  stair,  and  an  instant  later 
a  wild-eyed  and  frantic  young  man,  pale,  dishevelled,  and 
palpitating,  burst  into  the  room.  He  looked  from  one  to 
the  other  of  us,  and  under  our  gaze  of  inquiry  he  became 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER         83 

conscious  that  some  apology  was  needed  for  this  unceremo- 
nious entry. 

"I'm  sorry,  Mr.  Holmes,"  he  cried.  "You  musn't  blame 
me.  I  am  nearly  mad.  Mr.  Holmes,  I  am  the  unhappy  John 
Hector  McFarlane." 

He  made  the  announcement  as  if  the  name  alone  would  ex- 
plain both  his  visit  and  its  manner,  but  I  could  see,  by  my  com- 
panion's unresponsive  face,  that  it  meant  no  more  to  him  than 
to  me. 

"Have  a  cigarette,  Mr.  McFarlane,"  said  he,  pushing  his 
case  across.  "  I  am  sure  that,  with  your  symptoms,  my  friend 
Dr.  Watson  here  would  prescribe  a  sedative.  The  weather 
has  been  so  very  warm  these  last  few  days.  Now,  if  you  feel 
a  little  more  composed,  I  should  be  glad  if  you  would  sit  down 
in  that  chair,  and  tell  us  very  slowly  and  quietly  who  you  are,  and 
what  it  is  that  you  want.  You  mentioned  your  name,  as  if  I 
should  recognise  it,  but  I  assure  you  that,  beyond  the  obvious 
facts  that  you  are  a  bachelor,  a  solicitor,  a  Freemason,  and  an 
asthmatic,  I  know  nothing  whatever  about  you." 

Familiar  as  I  was  with  my  friend's  methods,  it  was  not  diffi- 
cult for  me  to  follow  his  deductions,  and  to  observe  the  untidi- 
ness of  attire,  the  sheaf  of  legal  papers,  the  watch-charm,  and 
the  breathing  which  had  prompted  them.  Our  client,  how- 
ever, stared  in  amazement. 

"Yes,  I  am  all  that,  Mr.  Holmes;  and,  in  addition,  I  am  the 
most  unfortunate  man  at  this  moment  in  London.  For  Heaven's 
sake,  don't  abandon  me,  Mr.  Holmes !  If  they  come  to  arrest 
me  before  I  have  finished  my  story,  make  them  give  me  time,  so 
that  I  may  tell  you  the  whole  truth.  I  could  go  to  gaol  happy 
if  I  knew  that  you  were  working  for  me  outside." 

"  Arrest  you ! "  said  Holmes.     "  This  is  really  most  grati  — 


34        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

most  interesting.  On  what  charge  do  you  expect  to  be  ar- 
rested ?  " 

"Upon  the  charge  of  murdering  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre,  of 
Lower  Norwood." 

My  companion's  expressive  face  showed  a  sympathy  which 
was  not,  I  am  afraid,  entirely  unmixed  with  satisfaction. 

"  Dear  me,"  said  he,  "  it  was  only  this  moment  at  breakfast 
that  I  was  saying  to  my  friend,  Dr.  Watson,  that  sensational 
cases  had  disappeared  out  of  our  papers." 

Our  visitor  stretched  forward  a  quivering  hand  and  picked 
up  the  Daily  Telegraph,  which  still  lay  upon  Holmes'  knee. 

"  If  you  had  looked  at  it,  sir,  you  would  have  seen  at  a  glance 
what  the  errand  is  on  which  I  have  come  to  you  this  morning. 
I  feel  as  if  my  name  and  my  misfortune  must  be  in  every  man's 
mouth."  He  turned  it  over  to  expose  the  central  page.  "  Here 
it  is,  and  with  your  permission  I  will  read  it  to  you.  Listen  to 
this,  Mr.  Holmes.  The  head-lines  are:  'Mysterious  Affair 
at  Lower  Norwood.  Disappearance  of  a  Well-known  Builder. 
Suspicion  of  Murder  and  Arson.  A  Clue  to  the  Criminal.' 
That  is  the  clue  which  they  are  already  following,  Mr.  Holmes, 
and  I  know  that  it  leads  infallibly  to  me.  I  have  been  followed 
from  London  Bridge  Station,  and  I  am  sure  that  they  are  only 
waiting  for  the  warrant  to  arrest  me.  It  will  break  my  mother's 
heart  —  it  will  break  her  heart! "  He  wrung  his  hands  in  an 
agony  of  apprehension,  and  swayed  backwards  and  forwards 
in  his  chair. 

I  looked  with  interest  upon  this  man,  who  was  accused  of 
being  the  perpetrator  of  a  crime  of  violence.  He  was  flaxen- 
haired  and  handsome,  in  a  washed-out  negative  fashion,  with 
frightened  blue  eyes,  and  a  clean-shaven  face,  with  a  weak, 
sensitive  mouth.  His  age  may  have  been  about  twenty-seven, 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THF,  NORWOOD  BUILDER          35 

his  dress  ,ind  bearing  that  of  a  gentleman.  From  the  pocket 
of  his  Ugh";  summer  overcoat  protruded  the  bundle  of  indorsed 
papers  which  proclaimed  his  profession. 

"  We  must  use  what  time  we  have,"  said  Holmes.  "  Watson, 
would  you  have  the  kindness  to  take  the  paper  and  to  read 
the  paragraph  in  question  ?  " 

Underneath  the  vigorous  head-lines  which  our  client  had 
quoted,  I  read  the  following  suggestive  narrative: 

Late  last  night,  or  early  this  morning,  an  incident  occurred  at  Lower  Nor- 
wood which  points,  it  is  feared,  to  a  serious  crime.  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre  is  a 
well-known  resident  of  that  suburb,  where  he  has  carried  on  his  business  as  a 
builder  for  many  years.  Mr.  Oldacre  is  a  bachelor,  fifty-two  years  of  age, 
and  lives  in  Deep  Dene  House,  at  the  Sydenham  end  of  the  road  of  that  name. 
He  has  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  man  of  eccentric  habits,  secretive  and 
retiring.  For  some  years  he  has  practically  withdrawn  from  the  business,  in 
which  he  is  said  to  have  amassed  considerable  wealth.  A  small  timber-yard 
still  exists,  however,  at  the  back  of  the  house,  and  last  night,  about  twelve 
o'clock,  an  alarm  was  given  that  one  of  the  stacks  was  on  fire.  The  engines 
were  soon  upon  the  spot,  but  the  dry  wood  burned  with  great  fury,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  arrest  the  conflagration  until  the  stack  had  been  entirely  con- 
sumed. Up1  to  this  point  the  incident  bore  the  appearance  of  an  ordinary  acci- 
dent, but  fresh  indications  seem  to  point  to  serious  crime.  Surprise  was  ex- 
pressed at  the  absence  of  the  master  of  the  establishment  from  the  scene  of  the 
fire,  and  an  inquiry  followed,  which  showed  that  he  had  disappeared  from  the 
house.  An  examination  of  his  room  revealed  that  the  bed  had  not  been  slept 
in,  that  a  safe  which  stood  in  it  was  open,  that  a  number  of  important  papers 
were  scattered  about  the  room,  and,  finally,  that  there  were  signs  of  a  murder- 
ous struggle,  slight  traces  of  blood  being  found  within  the  room,  and  an  oaken 
walking-stick,  which  also  showed  stains  of  blood  upon  the  handle.  It  is  known 
that  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre  had  received  a  late  visitor  in  his  bedroom  upon  that 
night,  and  the  stick  found  has  been  identified  as  the  property  of  this  person, 
who  is  a  young  London  solicitor  named  John  Hector  McFarlane,  junior  part- 
ner of  Graham  and  McFarlane,  of  426,  Gresham  Buildings,  E.  C.  The  police 
believe  that  they  have  evidence  in  their  possession  which  supplies  a  very  con- 
vincing motive  for  the  crime,  and  altogether  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  sensa- 
tional developments  will  follow. 

LATER.  —  It  is  rumoured  as  we  go  to  press  that  Mr.  John  Hector  McFarlane 


36  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

has  actually  been  arrested  on  the  charge  of  the  murder  of  Mr.  Jeaas  Oldacre. 
It  is  at  least  certain  that  a  warrant  has  been  issued.  There  have  been  further 
and  sinister  developments  in  the  investigation  at  Norwood.  Betides  the  signs 
of  a  struggle  in  the  room  of  the  unfortunate  builder  it  is  now  known  that  the 
French  windows  of  his  bedroom  (which  is  on  the  ground  floor)  were  found  to 
be  open,  that  there  were  marks  as  if  some  bulky  object  had  been  dragged 
across  to  the  wood-pile,  and,  finally,  it  is  asserted  that  charred  remains  have 
been  found  among  the  charcoal  ashes  of  the  fire.  The  police  theory  is  that  a 
most  sensational  crime  has  been  committed,  that  the  victim  was  clubbed  to 
death  in  his  own  bedroom,  his  papers  rifled,  and  his  dead  boc  y  dragged  across 
to  the  wood-stack,  which  was  then  ignited  so  as  to  hide  all  traces  of  the  crime. 
The  conduct  of  the  criminal  investigation  has  been  left  in  the  experienced  hands 
of  Inspector  Lestrade,  of  Scotland  Yard,  who  is  following  up  the  clues  with 
his  accustomed  energy  and  sagacity. 

Sherlock  Holmes  listened  with  closed  eyes  and  finger-tips 
together  to  this  remarkable  account. 

"The  case  has  certainly  some  points  of  interest,"  said  he,  in 
his  languid  fashion.  "  May  I  ask,  in  the  first  place,  Mr.  Mc- 
Farlane,  how  it  is  that  you  are  still  at  liberty,  since  there  appears 
to  be  enough  evidence  to  justify  your  arrest  ?" 

"  I  live  at  Torrington  Lodge,  Blackheath,  with  my  parents, 
Mr.  Holmes,  but  last  night,  having  to  do  business  very  late 
with  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre,  I  stayed  at  an  hotel  in  Norwood,  and 
came  to  my  business  from  there.  I  knew  nothing  of  this  affair 
until  I  was  in  the  train,  when  I  read  what  you  have  just  heard. 
I  at  once  saw  the  horrible  danger  of  my  position,  and  I  hurried 
to  put  the  case  into  your  hands.  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  should 
have  been  arrested  either  at  my  city  office  or  at  my  home.  A 
man  followed  me  from  London  Bridge  Station,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  —  Great  Heaven !  what  is  that  ?  " 

It  was  a  clang  of  the  bell,  followed  instantly  by  heavy  steps 
upon  the  stair.  A  moment  later,  our  old  friend  Lestrade  ap- 
peared in  the  doorway.  Over  his  shoulder  I  caught  a  glimpse 
of  one  or  two  uniformed  policemen  outside. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          37 

"  Mr.  John  Hector  McFarlane  ?  "  said  Lestrade. 

Our  unfortunate  client  rose  with  a  ghastly  face. 

"  I  arrest  you  for  the  wilful  murder  of  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre,  of 
Lower  Norwood." 

McFarlane  turned  to  us  with  a  gesture  of  despair,  and  sank 
into  his  chair  once  more  like  one  who  is  crushed. 

"One  moment,  Lestrade,"  said  Holmes.  "Half  an  hour 
more  or  less  can  make  no  difference  to  you,  and  the  gentleman 
was  about  to  give  us  an  account  of  this  very  interesting  affair, 
which  might  aid  us  in  clearing  it  up." 

"I  think  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  clearing  it  up,"  said 
Lestrade,  grimly. 

"  None  the  less,  with  your  permission,  I  should  be  much 
interested  to  hear  his  account." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  refuse  you  any- 
thing, for  you  have  been  of  use  to  the  force  once  or  twice  in  the 
past,  and  we  owe  you  a  good  turn  at  Scotland  Yard,"  said  Les- 
trade. "At  the  same  time  I  must  remain  with  my  prisoner, 
and  I  am  bound  to  warn  him  that  anything  he  may  say  will 
appear  in  evidence  against  him." 

"  I  wish  nothing  better,"  said  our  client.  "  All  I  ask  is  that 
you  should  hear  and  recognise  the  absolute  truth." 

Lestrade  looked  at  his  watch.  "  I'll  give  you  half  an  hour," 
said  he. 

"  I  must  explain  first,"  said  McFarlane,  "  that  I  knew  nothing 
of  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre.  His  name  was  familiar  to  me,  for  many 
years  ago  my  parents  were  acquainted  with  him,  but  they 
drifted  apart.  I  was  very  much  surprised,  therefore,  when 
yesterday,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  he  walked  into 
my  office  in  the  city.  But  I  was  still  more  astonished  when  he 
told  me  the  object  of  his  visit.  He  had  in  his  hand  several 


38        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

sheets  of  a  note-book,  covered  with  scribbled  writing  —  here 
they  are  —  and  he  laid  them  on  my  table. 

"' Here  is  my  will,'  said  he.  'I  want  you,  Mr.  McFarlane, 
to  cast  it  into  proper  legal  shape.  I  will  sit  here  while  you  do 
so.' 

"  I  set  myself  to  copy  it,  and  you  can  imagine  my  astonish- 
ment when  I  found  that,  with  some  reservations,  he  had  left  all 
his  property  to  me.  He  was  a  strange  little  ferret-like  man, 
with  white  eyelashes,  and  when  I  looked  up  at  him  I  found  his 
keen,  grey  eyes  fixed  upon  me  with  an  amused  expression.  I 
could  hardly  believe  my  own  senses  as  I  read  the  terms  of  the 
will ;  but  he  explained  that  he  was  a  bachelor  with  hardly  any 
living  relation,  that  he  had  known  my  parents  in  his  youth,  and 
that  he  had  always  heard  of  me  as  a  very  deserving  young  man, 
and  was  assured  that  his  money  would  be  in  worthy  hands. 
Of  course,  I  could  only  stammer  out  my  thanks.  The  will  was 
duly  finished,  signed,  and  witnessed  by  my  clerk.  This  is  it  on 
the  blue  paper,  and  these  slips,  as  I  have  explained,  are  the 
rough  draft.  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre  then  informed  me  that  there 
were  a  number  of  documents  —  building  leases,  title-deeds, 
mortgages,  scrip,  and  so  forth  —  which  it  was  necessary  that  I 
should  see  and  understand.  He  said  that  his  mind  would  not 
be  easy  until  the  whole  thing  was  settled,  and  he  begged  me  to 
come  out  to  his  house  at  Norwood  that  night,  bringing  the  will 
with  me,  and  to  arrange  matters.  'Remember,  my  boy,  not 
one  word  to  your  parents  about  the  affair  until  everything  is 
settled.  We  will  keep  it  as  a  little  surprise  for  them.'  He  was 
very  insistent  upon  this  point,  and  made  me  promise  it  faith- 
fully. 

"  You  can  imagine,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  I  was  not  in  a  humour 
to  refuse  him  anything  that  he  might  ask.  He  was  my  bene- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          39 

factor,  and  all  my  desire  was  to  carry  out  his  wishes  in  every 
particular.  I  sent  a  telegram  home,  therefore,  to  say  that  I 
had  important  business  on  hand,  and  that  it  was  impossible 
for  me  to  say  how  late  I  might  be.  Mr.  Oldacre  had  told  me 
that  he  would  like  me  to  have  supper  with  him  at  nine,  as  he 
might  not  be  home  before  that  hour.  I  had  some  difficulty  in 
finding  his  house,  however,  and  it  was  nearly  half-past  before 
I  reached  it.  I  found  him  — " 

"  One  moment ! "  said  Holmes.     "  Who  opened  the  door  ?" 

"A  middle-aged  woman,  who  was,  I  suppose,  his  house- 
keeper." 

"  And  it  was  she,  I  presume,  who  mentioned  your  name  ?" 

"  Exactly,"  said  McFarlane. 

"Pray  proceed." 

McFarlane  wiped  his  damp  brow,  and  then  continued  his 
narrative : 

"I  was  shown  by  this  woman  into  a  sitting-room,  where  a 
frugal  supper  was  laid  out.  Afterwards,  Mr.  Jonas  Oldacre 
led  me  into  his  bedroom,  in  which  there  stood  a  heavy  safe. 
This  he  opened  and  took  out  a  mass  of  documents,  which  we 
went  over  together.  It  was  between  eleven  and  twelve  when 
we  finished.  He  remarked  that  we  must  not  disturb  the  house- 
keeper. He  showed  me  out  through  his  own  French  window, 
which  had  been  open  all  this  time." 

"  Was  the  blind  down  ?  "  asked  Holmes. 

"  I  will  not  be  sure,  but  I  believe  that  it  was  only  half  down. 
Yes,  I  remember  how  he  pulled  it  up  in  order  to  swing  open  the 
window.  I  could  not  find  my  stick,  and  he  said, '  Never  mind, 
my  boy,  I  shall  see  a  good  deal  of  you  now,  I  hope,  and  I  will 
keep  your  stick  until  you  come  back  to  claim  it.'  I  left  him 
there,  the  safe  open,  and  the  papers  made  up  in  packets  upon 


40        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  table.  It  was  so  late  that  I  could  not  get  back  to  Black- 
heath,  so  I  spent  the  night  at  the  Anerley  Arms,  and  I  knew 
nothing  more  until  I  read  of  this  horrible  affair  in  the  morning." 

"Anything  more  that  you  would  like  to  ask,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 
said  Lestrade,  whose  eyebrows  had  gone  up  once  or  twice 
during  this  remarkable  explanation. 

"  Not  until  I  have  been  to  Blackheath." 

"  You  mean  to  Norwood,"  said  Lestrade. 

"  Oh,  yes,  no  doubt  that  is  what  I  must  have  meant,"  said 
Holmes,  with  his  enigmatical  smile.  Lestrade  had  learned  by 
more  experiences  than  he  would  care  to  acknowledge  that  that 
razor-like  brain  could  cut  through  that  which  was  impenetrable 
to  him.  I  saw  him  look  curiously  at  my  companion. 

"I  think  I  should  like  to  have  a  word  with  you  presently, 
Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,"  said  he.  "Now,  Mr.  McFarlane,  two 
of  my  constables  are  at  the  door,  and  there  is  a  four-wheeler 
waiting."  The  wretched  young  man  arose,  and  with  a  last 
beseeching  glance  at  us  walked  from  the  room.  The  officers 
conducted  him  to  the  cab,  but  Lestrade  remained. 

Holmes  had  picked  up  the  pages  which  formed  the  rough 
draft  of  the  will,  and  was  looking  at  them  with  the  keenest  in- 
terest upon  his  face. 

"  There  are  some  points  about  that  document,  Lestrade,  are 
there  not  ?  "  said  he,  pushing  them  over. 

The  official  looked  at  them  with  a  puzzled  expression. 

"  I  can  read  the  first  few  lines,  and  these  in  the  middle  of  the 
second  page,  and  one  or  two  at  the  end.  Those  are  as  clear  as 
print,"  said  he,  "  but  the  writing  in  between  is  very  bad,  and 
there  are  three  places  where  I  cannot  read  it  at  all." 

"  What  do  you  make  of  that  ?  "  said  Holmes. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  make  of  it  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          41 

"  That  it  was  written  in  a  train.  The  good  writing  represents 
stations,  the  bad  writing  movement,  and  the  very  bad  writing 
passing  over  points.  A  scientific  expert  would  pronounce  at 
once  that  this  was  drawn  up  on  a  suburban  line,  since  nowhere 
save  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  a  great  city  could  there  be  so 
quick  a  succession  of  points.  Granting  that  his  whole  journey 
was  occupied  in  drawing  up  the  will,  then  the  train  was  an 
express,  only  stopping  once  between  Norwood  and  London 
Bridge." 

Lestrade  began  to  laugh. 

"You  are  too  many  for  me  when  you  begin  to  get  on  your 
theories,  Mr.  Holmes,"  said  he.  "  How  does  this  bear  on  the 
case?  " 

"Well,  it  corroborates  the  young  man's  story  to  the  extent 
that  the  will  was  drawn  up  by  Jonas  Oldacre  in  his  journey 
yesterday.  It  is  curious  —  is  it  not  ?  —  that  a  man  should 
draw  up  so  important  a  document  in  so  haphazard  a  fashion. 
It  suggests  that  he  did  not  think  it  was  going  to  be  of  much 
practical  importance.  If  a  man  drew  up  a  will  which  he  did 
not  intend  ever  to  be  effective,  he  might  do  it  so." 

"  Well,  he  drew  up  his  own  death  warrant  at  the  same  time," 
said  Lestrade. 

"Oh,  you  think  so?" 

"Don't  you?" 

"  Well,  it  is  quite  possible,  but  the  case  is  not  clear  to  me  yet." 

"  Not  clear  ?  Well,  if  that  isn't  clear,  what  could  be  clear  ? 
Here  is  a  young  man  who  learns  suddenly  that,  if  a  certain  older 
man  dies,  he  will  succeed  to  a  fortune.  What  does  he  do  ?  He 
says  nothing  to  anyone,  but  he  arranges  that  he  shall  go  out 
on  some  pretext  to  see  his  client  that  night.  He  waits  until  the 
only  other  person  in  the  house  is  in  bed,  and  then  in  the  solitude 


42        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

of  the  man's  room  he  murders  him,  burns  his  body  in  the  wood- 
pile, and  departs  to  a  neighbouring  hotel.  The  blood-stains 
in  the  room  and  also  on  the  stick  are  very  slight.  It  is  prob- 
able that  he  imagined  his  crime  to  be  a  bloodless  one,  and 
hoped  that  if  the  body  were  consumed  it  would  hide  all  traces 
of  the  method  of  his  death  —  traces  which,  for  some  reason, 
must  have  pointed  to  him.  Is  not  all  this  obvious  ?  " 

"  It  strikes  me,  my  good  Lestrade,  as  being  just  a  trifle  too 
obvious,"  said  Holmes.  "  You  do  not  add  imagination  to  your 
other  great  qualities,  but  if  you  could  for  one  moment  put  your- 
self in  the  place  of  this  young  man,  would  you  choose  the  very 
night  after  the  will  had  been  made  to  commit  your  crime? 
Would  it  not  seem  dangerous  to  you  to  make  so  very  close  a 
relation  between  the  two  incidents  ?  Again,  would  you  choose 
an  occasion  when  you  are  known  to  be  in  the  house,  when  a 
servant  has  let  you  in  ?  And,  finally,  would  you  take  the  great 
pains  to  conceal  the  body,  and  yet  leave  your  own  stick  as  a  sign 
that  you  were  the  criminal  ?  Confess,  Lestrade,  that  all  this 
is  very  unlikely." 

"  As  to  the  stick,  Mr.  Holmes,  you  know  as  well  as  I  do  that 
a  criminal  is  often  flurried,  and  does  such  things,  which  a  cool 
man  would  avoid.  He  was  very  likely  afraid  to  go  back  to  the 
room.  Give  me  another  theory  that  would  fit  the  facts." 

"I  could  very  easily  give  you  half  a  dozen,"  said  Holmes. 
"  Here,  for  example,  is  a  very  possible  and  even  probable  one. 
I  make  you  a  free  present  of  it.  The  older  man  is  showing 
documents  which  are  of  evident  value.  A  passing  tramp  sees 
them  through  the  window,  the  blind  of  which  is  only  half 
down.  Exit  the  solicitor.  Enter  the  tramp !  He  seizes  a  stick, 
which  he  observes  there,  kills  Oldacre,  and  departs  after  burn- 
ing the  body." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          43 

"  Why  should  the  tramp  burn  the  body  ?  " 

"  For  the  matter  of  that,  why  should  McFarlane  ?  " 

"  To  hide  some  evidence." 

"  Possibly  the  tramp  wanted  to  hide  that  any  murder  at  all 
had  been  committed." 

"  And  why  did  the  tramp  take  nothing  ?  " 

"  Because  they  were  papers  that  he  could  not  negotiate." 

Lestrade  shook  his  head,  though  it  seemed  to  me  that  his 
manner  was  less  absolutely  assured  than  before. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  you  may  look  for  your  tramp, 
and  while  you  are  finding  him  we  will  hold  on  to  our  man. 
The  future  will  show  which  is  right.  Just  notice  this  point,  Mr. 
Holmes :  that  so  far  as  we  know,  none  of  the  papers  were  re- 
moved, and  that  the  prisoner  is  the  one  man  in  the  world  who 
had  no  reason  for  removing  them,  since  he  was  heir-at-law,  and 
would  come  into  them  in  any  case." 

My  friend  seemed  struck  by  this  remark. 

"I  don't  mean  to  deny  that  the  evidence  is  in  some  ways 
very  strongly  in  favour  of  your  theory,"  said  he.  "  I  only  wish 
to  point  out  that  there  are  other  theories  possible.  As  you  say, 
the  future  will  decide.  Good  morning!  I  dare  say  that  in 
the  course  of  the  day,  I  shall  drop  in  at  Norwood  and  see  how 
you  are  getting  on." 

When  the  detective  departed,  my  friend  rose  and  made  his 
preparations  for  the  day's  work  with  the  alert  air  of  a  man  who 
has  a  congenial  task  before  him. 

"My  first  movement,  Watson,"  said  he,  as  he  bustled  into 
his  frock-coat,  "  must,  as  I  said,  be  in  the  direction  of  Black- 
heath." 

"  And  why  not  Norwood  ?  " 

"  Because  we  have  in  this  case  one  singular  incident  coming 


44        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

close  to  the  heels  of  another  singular  incident.  The  police  are 
making  the  mistake  of  concentrating  their  attention  upon  the 
second,  because  it  happens  to  be  the  one  which  is  actually 
criminal.  But  it  is  evident  to  me  that  the  logical  way  to  ap- 
proach the  case  is  to  begin  by  trying  to  throw  some  light  upon 
the  first  incident  —  the  curious  will,  so  suddenly  made,  and  to 
so  unexpected  an  heir.  It  may  do  something  to  simplify  what 
followed.  No,  my  dear  fellow,  I  don't  think  you  can  help  me. 
There  is  no  prospect  of  danger,  or  I  should  not  dream  of  stirring 
out  without  you.  I  trust  that  when  I  see  you  in  the  evening, 
I  will  be  able  to  report  that  I  have  been  able  to  do  something 
for  this  unfortunate  youngster,  who  has  thrown  himself  upon 
my  protection." 

It  was  late  when  my  friend  returned,  and  I  could  see,  by  a 
glance  at  his  haggard  and  anxious  face,  that  the  high  hopes 
with  which  he  had  started  had  not  been  fulfilled.  For  an  hour 
he  droned  away  upon  his  violin,  endeavouring  to  soothe  his  own 
ruffled  spirits.  At  last  he  flung  down  the  instrument,  and 
plunged  into  a  detailed  account  of  his  misadventures. 

"  It's  all  going  wrong,  Watson  —  all  as  wrong  as  it  can  go. 
I  kept  a  bold  face  before  Lestrade,  but,  upon  my  soul,  I  believe 
that  for  once  the  fellow  is  on  the  right  track  and  we  are  on  the 
wrong.  All  my  instincts  are  one  way,  and  all  the  facts  are  the 
other,  and  I  much  fear  that  British  juries  have  not  yet  attained 
that  pitch  of  intelligence  when  they  will  give  the  preference  to 
my  theories  over  Lestrade's  facts." 

"  Did  you  go  to  Blackheath  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Watson,  I  went  there,  and  I  found  very  quickly  that  the 
late  lamented  Oldacre  was  a  pretty  considerable  blackguard. 
The  father  was  away  in  search  of  his  son.  The  mother  was  at 
home  —  a  little,  fluffy,  blue-eyed  person,  in  a  tremor  of  fear 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          45 

and  indignation.  Of  course,  she  would  not  admit  even  the  pos- 
sibility of  his  guilt.  But  she  would  not  express  either  surprise 
or  regret  over  the  fate  of  Oldacre.  On  the  contrary,  she  spoke 
of  him  with  such  bitterness  that  she  was  unconsciously  con- 
siderably strengthening  the  case  of  the  police  for,  of  course,  if 
her  son  had  heard  her  speak  of  the  man  in  this  fashion,  it  would 
predispose  him  towards  hatred  and  violence.  'He  was  more 
like  a  malignant  and  cunning  ape  than  a  human  being/  said 
she, '  and  he  always  was,  ever  since  he  was  a  young  man.' 

"  *  You  knew  him  at  that  time  ?  '  said  I. 

"  '  Yes,  I  knew  him  well,  in  fact,  he  was  an  old  suitor  of  mine. 
Thank  Heaven,  that  I  had  the  sense  to  turn  away  from  him, 
and  to  marry  a  better,  if  poorer,  man.  I  was  engaged  to  him, 
Mr.  Holmes,  when  I  heard  a  shocking  story  of  how  he  had 
turned  a  cat  loose  in  an  aviary,  and  I  was  so  horrified  at  his 
brutal  cruelty  that  I  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  him.' 
She  rummaged  in  a  bureau,  and  presently  she  produced  a 
photograph  of  a  woman,  shamefully  defaced  and  mutilated  with 
a  knife.  '  That  is  my  own  photograph,'  she  said.  '  He  sent  it  to 
me  in  that  state,  with  his  curse,  upon  my  wedding  morning.' 

"  'Well,'  said  I, '  at  least  he  has  forgiven  you  now,  since  he  has 
left  all  his  property  to  your  son.' 

:  '  Neither  my  son  nor  I  want  anything  from  Jonas  Oldacre, 
dead  or  alive! '  she  cried,  with  a  proper  spirit.  ' There  is  a  God 
in  Heaven,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  that  same  God  who  has  punished 
that  wicked  man  will  show,  in  His  own  good  time,  that  my 
son's  hands  are  guiltless  of  his  blood.' 

"  Well,  I  tried  one  or  two  leads,  but  could  get  at  nothing  which 
would  help  our  hypothesis,  and  several  points  which  would  make 
against  it.  I  gave  it  up  at  last,  and  off  I  went  to  Norwood. 

"This  place,  Deep  Dene  House,  is  a  big  modern  villa  of 


46  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

staring  brick,  standing  back  in  its  own  grounds,  with  a  laurel- 
clumped  lawn  in  front  of  it.  To  the  right  and  some  distance 
back  from  the  road  was  the  timber-yard  which  had  been  the 
scene  of  the  fire.  Here's  a  rough  plan  on  a  leaf  of  my  note- 
book. This  window  on  the  left  is  the  one  which  opens  into 
Oldacre's  room.  You  can  look  into  it  from  the  road,  you  see. 
That  is  about  the  only  bit  of  consolation  I  have  had  to-day. 
Lestrade  was  not  there,  but  his  head  constable  did  the  honours. 
They  had  just  found  a  great  treasure-trove.  They  had  spent 
the  morning  raking  among  the  ashes  of  the  burned  wood-pile, 
and  besides  the  charred  organic  remains  they  had  secured 
several  discoloured  metal  discs.  I  examined  them  with  care, 
and  there  was  no  doubt  that  they  were  trouser  buttons.  I 
even  distinguished  that  one  of  them  was  marked  with  the 
name  of  '  Hyams,'  who  was  Oldacre's  tailor.  I  then  worked 
the  lawn  very  carefully  for  signs  and  traces,  but  this  drought 
has  made  everything  as  hard  as  iron.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen 
save  that  some  body  or  bundle  had  been  dragged  through  a 
low  privet  hedge  which  is  in  a  line  with  the  wood-pile.  All 
that,  of  course,  fits  in  with  the  official  theory.  I  crawled  about 
the  lawn  with  an  August  sun  on  my  back,  but  I  got  up  at  the 
end  of  an  hour  no  wiser  than  before. 

"  Well,  after  this  fiasco  I  went  into  the  bedroom  and  exam- 
ined that  also.  The  blood-stains  were  very  slight,  mere  smears 
and  discolorations,  but  undoubtedly  fresh.  The  stick  had  been 
removed,  but  there  also  the  marks  were  slight.  There  is  no 
doubt  about  the  stick  belonging  to  our  client.  He  admits  it. 
Footmarks  of  both  men  could  be  made  out  on  the  carpet,  but 
none  of  any  third  person,  which  again  is  a  trick  for  the  other 
side.  They  were  piling  up  their  score  all  the  time,  and  we 
were  at  a  standstill. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          47 

"  Only  on  little  gleam  of  hope  did  I  get  —  and  yet  it  amount- 
ed to  nothing.  I  examined  the  contents  of  the  safe,  most  of 
which  had  been  taken  out  and  left  on  the  table.  The  papers 
had  been  made  up  into  sealed  envelopes,  one  or  two  of  which 
had  been  opened  by  the  police.  They  were  not,  so  far  as  I 
could  judge,  of  any  great  value,  nor  did  the  bank-book  show 
that  Mr.  Oldacre  was  in  such  very  affluent  circumstances. 
But  it  seemed  to  me  that  all  the  papers  were  not  there.  There 
were  allusions  to  some  deeds  —  possibly  the  more  valuable  — 
which  I  could  not  find.  This,  of  course,  if  we  could  definitely 
prove  it,  would  turn  Lestrade's  argument  against  himself;  for 
who  would  steal  a  thing  if  he  knew  that  he  would  shortly  in- 
herit it? 

"  Finally,  having  drawn  every  other  cover  and  picked  up  no 
scent,  I  tried  my  luck  with  the  housekeeper.  Mrs.  Lexington 
is  her  name  —  a  little,  dark,  silent  person,  with  suspicious  and 
sidelong  eyes.  She  could  tell  us  something  if  she  would  —  I 
am  convinced  of  it.  But  she  was  as  close  as  wax.  Yes,  she 
had  let  Mr.  McFarlane  in  at  half-past  nine.  She  wished  her 
hand  had  withered  before  she  had  done  so.  She  had  gone  to 
bed  at  half -past  ten.  Her  room  was  at  the  other  end  of  the 
house,  and  she  could  hear  nothing  of  what  passed.  Mr.  Mc- 
Farlane had  left  his  hat,  and  to  the  best  of  her  belief  his  stick, 
in  the  hall.  She  had  been  awakened  by  the  alarm  of  fire.  Her 
poor,  dear  master  had  certainly  been  murdered.  Had  he  any 
enemies  ?  Well,  every  man  had  enemies,  but  Mr.  Oldacre  kept 
himself  very  much  to  himself,  and  only  met  people  in  the  way 
of  business.  She  had  seen  the  buttons,  and  was  sure  that  they 
belonged  to  the  clothes  which  he  had  worn  last  night.  The 
wood-pile  was  very  dry,  for  it  had  not  rained  for  a  month.  It 
burned  like  tinder,  and  by  the  time  she  reached  the  spot,  noth- 


48  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

ing  could  be  seen  but  flames.  She  and  all  the  firemen  smelled 
the  burned  flesh  from  inside  it.  She  knew  nothing  of  the 
papers,  nor  of  Mr.  Oldacre's  private  affairs. 

"  So,  my  dear  Watson,  there's  my  report  of  a  failure.  And 
yet  —  and  yet  — "  —  he  clenched  his  thin  hands  in  a  par- 
oxysm of  conviction  —  "I  know  it's  all  wrong.  I  feel  it  in  my 
bones.  There  is  something  that  has  not  come  out,  and  that 
housekeeper  knows  it.  There  was  a  sort  of  sulky  defiance  in 
her  eyes,  which  only  goes  with  guilty  knowledge.  However, 
there's  no  good  talking  any  more  about  it,  Watson ;  but  unless 
some  lucky  chance  comes  our  way  I  fear  that  the  Norwood 
Disappearance  Case  will  not  figure  in  that  chronicle  of  our 
successes  which  I  foresee  that  a  patient  public  will  sooner  or 
later  have  to  endure." 

"  Surely,"  said  I,  "  the  man's  appearance  would  go  far  with 
any  jury  ?  " 

"That  is  a  dangerous  argument,  my  dear  Watson.  You 
remember  that  terrible  murderer,  Bert  Stevens,  who  wanted 
us  to  get  him  off  in  '87  ?  Was  there  ever  a  more  mild-man- 
nered, Sunday-school  young  man  ?  " 

"  It  is  true." 

"Unless  we  succeed  in  establishing  an  alternative  theory, 
this  man  is  lost.  You  can  hardly  find  a  flaw  in  the  case  which 
can  now  be  presented  against  him,  and  all  further  investigation 
has  served  to  strengthen  it.  By  the  way,  there  is  one  curious 
little  point  about  those  papers  which  may  serve  us  as  the  start- 
ing-point for  an  inquiry.  On  looking  over  the  bank-book  I 
found  that  the  low  state  of  the  balance  was  principally  due  to 
large  cheques  which  have  been  made  out  during  the  last  year  to 
Mr.  Cornelius.  I  confess  that  I  should  be  interested  to  know 
who  this  Mr.  Cornelius  may  be  with  whom  a  retired  builder 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          49 

has  such  very  large  transactions.  Is  it  possible  that  he  has 
had  a  hand  in  the  affair  ?  Cornelius  might  be  a  broker,  but 
we  have  found  no  scrip  to  correspond  with  these  large  pay- 
ments. Failing  any  other  indication,  my  researches  must  now 
take  the  direction  of  an  inquiry  at  the  bank  for  the  gentleman 
who  has  cashed  these  cheques.  But  I  fear  my  dear  fellow, 
that  our  case  will  end  ingloriously  by  Lestrade  hanging  our 
client,  which  will  certainly  be  a  triumph  for  Scotland  Yard." 

I  do  not  know  how  far  Sherlock  Holmes  took  any  sleep  that 
night,  but  when  I  came  down  to  breakfast  I  found  him  pale  and 
harassed,  his  bright  eyes  the  brighter  for  the  dark  shadows 
round  them.  The  carpet  round  his  chair  was  littered  with 
cigarette-ends  and  with  the  early  editions  of  the  morning  papers. 
An  open  telegram  lay  upon  the  table. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this,  Watson  ?  "  he  asked,  tossing  it 
across. 

It  was  from  Norwood,  and  ran  as  follows : — 

"IMPORTANT  FRESH  EVIDENCE  TO  HAND.  MCFARLANE'S 
GUILT  DEFINITELY  ESTABLISHED.  ADVISE  YOU  TO  ABANDON 
CASE.  LESTRADE." 

"This  sounds  serious,"  said  I. 

"It  is  Lestrade's  little  cock-a-doodle  of  victory,"  Holmes 
answered,  with  a  bitter  smile.  "  And  yet  it  may  be  premature 
to  abandon  the  case.  After  all,  important  fresh  evidence  is  a 
two-edged  thing,  and  may  possibly  cut  in  a  very  different  direc- 
tion to  that  which  Lestrade  imagines.  Take  your  breakfast, 
Watson,  and  we  will  go  out  together  and  see  what  we  can  do. 
I  feel  as  if  I  shall  need  your  company  and  your  moral  support 
to-day." 

My  friend  had  no  breakfast  himself,  for  it  was  one  of  his 
peculiarities  that  in  his  more  intense  moments  he  would  permit 


50  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

himself  no  food,  and  I  have  known  him  presume  upon  his  iron 
strength  until  he  has  fainted  from  pure  inanition.  "  At  present 
I  cannot  spare  energy  and  nerve  force  for  digestion,"  he  would 
say  in  answer  to  my  medical  remonstrances.  I  was  not  sur- 
prised, therefore,  when  this  morning  he  left  his  untouched  meal 
behind  him,  and  started  with  me  for  Norwood.  A  crowd  of 
morbid  sightseers  were  still  gathered  round  Deep  Dene  House, 
which  was  just  such  a  suburban  villa  as  I  had  pictured.  With- 
in the  gates  Lestrade  met  us,  his  face  flushed  with  victory,  his 
manner  grossly  triumphant. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  have  you  proved  us  to  be  wrong  yet  ? 
Have  you  found  your  tramp  ?  "  he  cried. 

"I  have  formed  no  conclusion  whatever,"  my  companion 
answered. 

"But  we  formed  ours  yesterday,  and  now  it  proves  to  be 
correct,  so  you  must  acknowledge  that  we  have  been  a  little  in 
front  of  you  this  time,  Mr.  Holmes." 

"You  certainly  have  the  air  of  something  unusual  having 
occurred,"  said  Holmes. 

Lestrade  laughed  loudly. 

"  You  don't  like  being  beaten  any  more  than  the  rest  of  us 
do,"  said  he.  "  A  man  can't  expect  always  to  have  it  his  own 
way,  can  he,  Dr.  Watson  ?  Step  this  way,  if  you  please,  gentle- 
men, and  I  think  I  can  convince  you  once  for  all  that  it  was 
John  McFarlane  who  did  this  crime." 

He  led  us  through  the  passage  and  out  into  a  dark  hall 
beyond. 

"  This  is  where  young  McFarlane  must  have  come  out  to  get 
his  hat  after  the  crime  was  done,"  said  he.  "Now  look  at 
this."  With  dramatic  suddenness  he  struck  a  match,  and  by 
its  light  exposed  a  stain  of  blood  upon  the  whitewashed  wall. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          51 

As  he  held  the  match  nearer,  I  saw  that  it  was  more  than  a  stain. 
It  was  the  well-marked  print  of  a  thumb. 

"  Look  at  that  with  your  magnifying  glass,  Mr.  Holmes." 

"  Yes,  I  am  doing  so." 

"  You  are  aware  that  no  two  thumb-marks  are  alike  ?  " 

"  I  have  heard  something  of  the  kind." 

"Well,  then,  will  you  please  compare  that  print  with  this 
wax  impression  of  young  McFarlane's  right  thumb,  taken  by 
my  orders  this  morning  ?  " 

As  he  held  the  waxen  print  close  to  the  blood-stain,  it  did  not 
take  a  magnifying  glass  to  see  that  the  two  were  undoubtedly 
from  the  same  thumb.  It  was  evident  to  me  that  our  unfor- 
tunate client  was  lost. 

"  That  is  final,"  said  Lestrade. 

"Yes,  that  is  final,"  I  involuntarily  echoed. 

"  It  is  final,"  said  Holmes. 

Something  in  his  tone  caught  my  ear,  and  I  turned  to  look  at 
him.  An  extraordinary  change  had  come  over  his  face.  It 
was  writhing  with  inward  merriment.  His  two  eyes  were  shin- 
ing like  stars.  It  seemed  to  me  that  he  was  making  desperate 
efforts  to  restrain  a  convulsive  attack  of  laughter. 

"Dear  me!  Dear  me!"  he  said  at  last.  "Well,  now,  who 
would  have  thought  it  ?  And  how  deceptive  appearances  may 
be,  to  be  sure !  Such  a  nice  young  man  to  look  at !  It  is  a  les- 
son to  us  not  to  trust  our  own  judgment,  is  it  not,  Lestrade  ?  " 

"  Yes,  some  of  us  are  a  little  too  much  inclined  to  be  cock- 
sure, Mr.  Holmes,"  said  Lestrade.  The  man's  insolence  was 
maddening,  but  we  could  not  resent  it. 

"What  a  providential  thing  that  this  young  man  should 
press  his  right  thumb  against  the  wall  in  taking  his  hat  from 
the  peg !  Such  a  very  natural  action,  too,  if  you  come  to  think 


52  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

of  it."  Holmes  was  outwardly  calm,  but  his  whole  body  gave 
a  wriggle  of  suppressed  excitement  as  he  spoke.  "  By  the  way, 
Lestrade,  who  made  this  remarkable  discovery  ?  " 

"It  was  the  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Lexington,  who  drew  the 
night  constable's  attention  to  it." 

"  Where  was  the  night  constable  ?  " 

"He  remained  on  guard  in  the  bedroom  where  the  crime 
was  committed,  so  as  to  see  that  nothing  was  touched." 

"  But  why  didn't  the  police  see  this  mark  yesterday  ?  " 

"  Well,  we  had  no  particular  reason  to  make  a  careful  exam- 
ination of  the  hall.  Besides,  it's  not  in  a  very  prominent  place, 
as  you  see." 

"  No,  no  —  of  course  not.  I  suppose  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  mark  was  there  yesterday  ?  " 

Lestrade  looked  at  Holmes  as  if  he  thought  he  was  going  out 
of  his  mind.  I  confess  that  I  was  myself  surprised  both  at  his 
hilarious  manner  and  at  his  rather  wild  observation. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  think  that  McFarlane  came  out 
of  gaol  in  the  dead  of  the  night  in  order  to  strengthen  the  evi- 
dence against  himself,"  said  Lestrade.  "  I  leave  it  to  any  ex- 
pert in  the  world  whether  that  is  not  the  mark  of  his  thumb." 

"  It  is  unquestionably  the  mark  of  his  thumb." 

"There,  that's  enough,"  said  Lestrade.  "I  am  a  practical 
man,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  when  I  have  got  my  evidence  I  come  to 
my  conclusions.  If  you  have  anything  to  say,  you  will  find  me 
writing  my  report  in  the  sitting-room." 

Holmes  had  recovered  his  equanimity,  though  I  still  seemed 
to  detect  gleams  of  amusement  in  his  expression. 

"  Dear  me,  this  is  a  very  sad  development,  Watson,  is  it  not  ?  " 
said  he.  "And  yet  there  are  singular  points  about  it  which 
hold  out  some  hopes  for  our  client." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          53 

"  I  am  delighted  to  hear  it,"  said  I,  heartily.  "  I  was  afraid 
it  was  all  up  with  him." 

"  I  would  hardly  go  so  far  as  to  say  that,  my  dear  Watson. 
The  fact  is  that  there  is  one  really  serious  flaw  in  this  evidence 
to  which  our  friend  attaches  so  much  importance." 

"  Indeed,  Holmes !    What  is  it  ?  " 

"  Only  this :  that  I  know  that  that  mark  was  not  there  when 
I  examined  the  hall  yesterday.  And  now,  Watson,  let  us  have 
a  little  stroll  round  in  the  sunshine." 

With  a  confused  brain,  but  with  a  heart  into  which  some 
warmth  of  hope  was  returning,  I  accompanied  my  friend  in  a 
walk  round  the  garden.  Holmes  took  each  face  of  the  house 
in  turn,  and  examined  it  with  great  interest.  He  then  led  the 
way  inside,  and  went  over  the  whole  building  from  basement 
to  attic.  Most  of  the  rooms  were  unfurnished,  but  none 
the  less  Holmes  inspected  them  all  minutely.  Finally,  on  the 
top  corridor,  which  ran  outside  three  untenanted  bedrooms, 
he  again  was  seized  with  a  spasm  of  merriment. 

"  There  are  really  some  very  unique  features  about  this  case, 
Watson,"  said  he.  "I  think  it  is  time  now  that  we  took  our 
friend  Lestrade  into  our  confidence.  He  has  had  his  little 
smile  at  our  expense,  and  perhaps  we  may  do  as  much  by  him, 
if  my  reading  of  this  problem  proves  to  be  correct.  Yes,  yes, 
I  think  I  see  how  we  should  approach  it." 

The  Scotland  Yard  inspector  was  still  writing  in  the  parlour 
when  Holmes  interrupted  him. 

"  I  understood  that  you  were  writing  a  report  of  this  case," 
said  he. 

"So  I  am." 

"  Don't  you  think  it  may  be  a  little  premature  ?  I  can't  help 
thinking  that  your  evidence  is  not  complete." 


54  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Lestrade  knew  my  friend  too  well  to  disregard  his  words. 
He  laid  down  his  pen  and  looked  curiously  at  him. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 

"Only  that  there  is  an  important  witness  whom  you  have 
not  seen." 

"  Can  you  produce  him  ?  " 

"I  think  I  can." 

"Then  do  so." 

"  I  will  do  my  best.     How  many  constables  have  you  ?  " 

"  There  are  three  within  call." 

"  Excellent ! "  said  Holmes.  "  May  I  ask  if  they  are  all  large, 
able-bodied  men  with  powerful  voices  ?  " 

"I  have  no  doubt  they  are,  though  I  fail  to  see  what  their 
voices  have  to  do  with  it." 

"Perhaps  I  can  help  you  to  see  that  and  one  or  two  other 
things  as  well,"  said  Holmes.  "Kindly  summon  your  men, 
and  I  will  try." 

Five  minutes  later,  three  policemen  had  assembled  in  the  hall. 

"In  the  outhouse  you  will  find  a  considerable  quantity  of 
straw,"  said  Holmes.  "  I  will  ask  you  to  carry  in  two  bundles 
of  it.  I  think  it  will  be  of  the  greatest  assistance  in  producing 
the  witness  whom  I  require.  Thank  you  very  much.  I  believe 
you  have  some  matches  in  your  pocket, Watson.  Now,  Mr.  Lest- 
rade, I  will  ask  you  all  to  accompany  me  to  the  top  landing." 

As  I  have  said,  there  was  a  broad  corridor  there,  which  ran 
outside  three  empty  bedrooms.  At  one  end  of  the  corridor  we 
were  all  marshalled  by  Sherlock  Holmes,  the  constables  grin- 
ning and  Lestrade  staring  at  my  friend  with  amazement,  ex- 
pectation, and  derision  chasing  each  other  across  his  features. 
Holmes  stood  before  us  with  the  air  of  a  conjurer  who  is  per- 
forming a  trick. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          55 

"Would  you  kindly  send  one  of  your  constables  for  two 
buckets  of  water?  Put  the  straw  on  the  floor  here,  free 
from  the  wall  on  either  side.  Now  I  think  that  we  are  all 
ready." 

Lestrade's  face  had  begun  to  grow  red  and  angry. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  are  playing  a  game  with  us,  Mr. 
Sherlock  Holmes,"  said  he.  "  If  you  know  anything,  you  can 
surely  say  it  without  all  this  tomfoolery." 

"I  assure  you,  my  good  Lestrade,  that  I  have  an  excellent 
reason  for  everything  that  I  do.  You  may  possibly  remember 
that  you  chaffed  me  a  little,  some  hours  ago,  when  the  sun 
seemed  on  your  side  of  the  hedge,  so  you  must  not  grudge  me 
a  little  pomp  and  ceremony  now.  Might  I  ask  you,  Watson, 
to  open  that  window,  and  then  to  put  a  match  to  the  edge  of 
the  straw  ?  " 

I  did  so,  and  driven  by  the  draught,  a  coil  of  grey  smoke 
swirled  down  the  corridor,  while  the  dry  straw  crackled  and 
flamed. 

"  Now  we  must  see  if  we  can  find  this  witness  for  you,  Les- 
trade. Might  I  ask  you  all  to  join  in  the  cry  of '  Fire ! '  ?  Now, 
then;  one,  two,  three  — " 

"Fire!  "we  all  yelled. 

"  Thank  you.     I  will  trouble  you  once  again." 

"Fire!" 

"  Just  once  more,  gentlemen,  and  all  together." 

"  Fire ! "     The  shout  must  have  rung  over  Norwood. 

It  had  hardly  died  away  when  an  amazing  thing  happened. 
A  door  suddenly  flew  open  out  of  what  appeared  to  be  solid 
wall  at  the  end  of  the  corridor,  and  a  little,  wizened  man  darted 
out  of  it,  like  a  rabbit  out  of  its  burrow. 

"Capital!"  said  Holmes,  calmly.     "Watson,  a  bucket  of 


56  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

water  over  the  straw.  That  will  do !  Lestrade,  allow  me  to 
present  you  with  your  principal  missing  witness,  Mr.  Jonas 
Oldacre." 

The  detective  stared  at  the  newcomer  with  blank  amaze- 
ment. The  latter  was  blinking  in  the  bright  light  of  the  cor- 
ridor, and  peering  at  us  and  at  the  smouldering  fire.  It  was 
an  odious  face  —  crafty,  vicious,  malignant,  with  shifty,  light- 
grey  eyes  and  white  lashes. 

"What's  this,  then?"  said  Lestrade,  at  last.  "What  have 
you  been  doing  all  this  time,  eh  ?  " 

Oldacre  gave  an  uneasy  laugh,  shrinking  back  from  the  furi- 
ous red  face  of  the  angry  detective. 

"  I  have  done  no  harm." 

"  No  harm  ?  You  have  done  your  best  to  get  an  innocent 
man  hanged.  If  it  wasn't  for  this  gentleman  here,  I  am  not 
sure  that  you  would  not  have  succeeded." 

The  wretched  creature  began  to  whimper. 

"  I  am  sure,  sir,  it  was  only  my  practical  joke." 

"  Oh !  a  joke,  was  it  ?  You  won't  find  the  laugh  on  your 
side,  I  promise  you.  Take  him  down,  and  keep  him  in  the 
sitting-room  until  I  come.  Mr.  Holmes,"  he  continued,  when 
they  had  gone,  "  I  could  not  speak  before  the  constables,  but  I 
don't  mind  saying,  in  the  presence  of  Dr.  Watson,  that  this  is 
the  brightest  thing  that  you  have  done  yet,  though  it  is  a  mys- 
tery to  me  how  you  did  it.  You  have  saved  an  innocent  man's 
life,  and  you  have  prevented  a  very  grave  scandal,  which  would 
have  ruined  my  reputation  in  the  Force." 

Holmes  smiled,  and  clapped  Lestrade  upon  the  shoulder. 

"Instead  of  being  ruined,  my  good  sir,  you  will  find  that 
your  reputation  has  been  enormously  enhanced.  Just  make  a 
few  alterations  in  that  report  which  you  were  writing,  and  they 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          57 

will  understand  how  hard  it  is  to  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of 
Inspector  Lestrade." 

"  And  you  don't  want  your  name  to  appear  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  The  work  is  its  own  reward.  Perhaps  I  shall 
get  the  credit  also  at  some  distant  day,  when  I  permit  my  zealous 
historian  to  lay  out  his  foolscap  once  more  —  eh,  Watson  ? 
Well,  now,  let  us  see  where  this  rat  has  been  lurking." 

A  lath-and-plaster  partition  had  been  run  across  the  passage 
six  feet  from  the  end,  with  a  door  cunningly  concealed  in  it. 
It  was  lit  within  by  slits  under  the  eaves.  A  few  articles  of 
furniture  and  a  supply  of  food  and  water  were  within,  together 
with  a  number  of  books  and  papers. 

"There's  the  advantage  of  being  a  builder,"  said  Holmes, 
as  we  came  out.  "  He  was  able  to  fix  up  his  own  little  hiding- 
place  without  any  confederate  —  save,  of  course,  that  precious 
housekeeper  of  his,  whom  I  should  lose  no  time  in  adding  to 
your  bag,  Lestrade." 

"  I'll  take  your  advice.  But  how  did  you  know  of  this  place, 
Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 

"I  made  up  my  mind  that  the  fellow  was  in  hiding  in  the 
house.  When  I  paced  one  corridor  and  found  it  six  feet  shorter 
than  the  corresponding  one  below,  it  was  pretty  clear  where 
he  was.  I  thought  he  had  not  the  nerve  to  lie  quiet  before  an 
alarm  of  fire  We  could,  of  course,  have  gone  in  and  taken  him, 
but  it  amused  me  to  make  him  reveal  himself,  besides,  I  owed 
you  a  little  mystification,  Lestrade,  for  your  chaff  in  the  morn- 
ing." 

"Well,  sir,  you  certainly  got  equal  with  me  on  that.  But 
how  in  the  world  did  you  know  that  he  was  in  the  house  at  all  ?  " 

"  The  thumb-mark,  Lestrade.  You  said  it  was  final ;  and  so 
it  was,  in  a  very  different  sense.  I  knew  it  had  not  been  there 


58  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  day  before.  I  pay  a  good  deal  of  attention  to  matters  of 
detail,  as  you  may  have  observed,  and  I  had  examined  the  hall, 
and  was  sure  that  the  wall  was  clear.  Therefore,  it  had  been 
put  on  during  the  night." 

"But  how?" 

"Very  simply.  When  those  packets  were  sealed  up,  Jonas 
Oldacre  got  McFarlane  to  secure  one  of  the  seals  by  putting 
his  thumb  upon  the  soft  wax.  It  would  be  done  so  quickly  and 
so  naturally,  that  I  dare  say  the  young  man  himself  has  no  recol- 
lection of  it.  Very  likely  it  just  so  happened,  and  Oldacre  had 
himself  no  notion  of  the  use  he  would  put  it  to.  Brooding  over 
the  case  in  that  den  of  his,  it  suddenly  struck  him  what  abso- 
lutely damning  evidence  he  could  make  against  McFarlane  by 
using  that  thumb-mark.  It  was  the  simplest  thing  in  the 
world  for  him  to  take  a  wax  impression  from  the  seal,  to  moisten 
it  in  as  much  blood  as  he  could  get  from  a  pin-prick,  and  to 
put  the  mark  upon  the  wall  during  the  night,  either  with  his 
own  hand  or  with  that  of  his  housekeeper.  If  you  examine 
among  those  documents  which  he  took  with  him  into  his  retreat, 
I  will  lay  you  a  wager  that  you  find  the  seal  with  the  thumb- 
mark  upon  it." 

"  Wonderful ! "  said  Lestrade.  "  Wonderful !  It's  all  as  clear 
as  crystal,  as  you  put  it.  But  what  is  the  object  of  this  deep 
deception,  Mr.  Holmes  ? " 

It  was  amusing  to  me  to  see  how  the  detective's  overbearing 
manner  had  changed  suddenly  to  that  of  a  child  asking  ques- 
tions of  its  teacher. 

"Well,  I  don't  think  that  is  very  hard  to  explain.  A  very 
deep,  malicious,  vindictive  person  is  the  gentleman  who  is  now 
waiting  us  downstairs.  You  know  that  he  was  once  refused  by 
McFarlane's  mother  ?  You  don't !  I  told  you  that  you  should 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  NORWOOD  BUILDER          59 

go  to  Blackheath  first  and  Norwood  afterwards.  Well,  this 
injury,  as  he  would  consider  it,  has  rankled  in  his  wicked, 
scheming  brain,  and  all  his  life  he  has  longed  for  vengeance, 
but  never  seen  his  chance.  During  the  last  year  or  two,  things 
have  gone  against  him  —  secret  speculation,  I  think  —  and 
he  finds  himself  in  a  bad  way.  He  determines  to  swindle 
his  creditors,  and  for  this  purpose  he  pays  large  cheques 
to  a  certain  Mr.  Cornelius,  who  is,  I  imagine,  himself 
under  another  name.  I  have  not  traced  these  cheques 
yet,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  were  banked  under  that 
name  at  some  provincial  town  where  Oldacre  from  time  to 
time  led  a  double  existence.  He  intended  to  change  his 
name  altogether,  draw  this  money,  and  vanish,  starting  life 
again  elsewhere." 

"Well,  that's  likely  enough." 

"  It  would  strike  him  that  in  disappearing  he  might  throw  all 
pursuit  off  his  track,  and  at  the  same  time  have  an  ample  and 
crushing  revenge  upon  his  old  sweetheart,  if  he  could  give  the 
impression  that  he  had  been  murdered  by  her  only  child.  It 
was  a  masterpiece  of  villainy,  and  he  carried  it  out  like  a  master. 
The  idea  of  the  will,  which  would  give  an  obvious  motive  for 
the  crime,  the  secret  visit  unknown  to  his  own  parents,  the  re- 
tention of  the  stick,  the  blood,  and  the  animal  remains  and  but- 
tons in  the  wood-pile,  all  were  admirable.  It  was  a  net  from 
which  it  seemed  to  me,  a  few  hours  ago,  that  there  was  no  pos- 
sible escape.  But  he  had  not  that  supreme  gift  of  the  artist, 
the  knowledge  of  when  to  stop.  He  wished  to  improve  that 
which  was  already  perfect  —  to  draw  the  rope  tighter  yet  round 
the  neck  of  his  unfortunate  victim  —  and  so  he  ruined  all.  Let 
us  descend,  Lestrade.  There  are  just  one  or  two  questions 
that  I  would  ask  him." 


60        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

The  malignant  creature  was  seated  in  his  own  parlour,  with 
a  policeman  upon  each  side  of  him. 

"  It  was  a  joke,  my  good  sir  —  a  practical  joke,  nothing  more," 
he  whined  incessantly.  "  I  assure  you,  sir,  that  I  simply  con- 
cealed myself  in  order  to  see  the  effect  of  my  disappearance, 
and  I  am  sure  that  you  would  not  be  so  unjust  as  to  imagine 
that  I  would  have  allowed  any  harm  to  befall  poor  young  Mr. 
McFarlane." 

"That's  for  a  jury  to  decide,"  said  Lestrade.  "Anyhow, 
we  shall  have  you  on  a  charge  of  conspiracy,  if  not  for  attempt- 
ed murder." 

"And  you'll  probably  find  that  your  creditors  will  impound 
the  banking  account  of  Mr.  Cornelius,"  said  Holmes. 

The  little  man  started,  and  turned  his  malignant  eyes  upon 
my  friend. 

"  I  have  to  thank  you  for  a  good  deal,"  said  he.  "  Perhaps 
I'll  pay  my  debt  some  day." 

Holmes  smiled  indulgently. 

"  I  fancy  that,  for  some  few  years,  you  will  find  your  time  very 
fully  occupied,"  said  he.  "By  the  way,  what  was  it  you  put 
into  the  wood-pile  besides  your  old  trousers  ?  A  dead  dog, 
or  rabbits,  or  what  ?  You  won't  tell  ?  Dear  me,  how  very  un- 
kind of  you!  Well,  well,  I  dare  say  that  a  couple  of  rabbits 
would  account  both  for  the  blood  and  for  the  charred  ashes. 
If  ever  you  write  an  account,  Watson,  you  can  make  rabbits 
serve  your  turn." 


Ill 

THE   ADVENTURE  OF 
THE   DANCING  MEN 

1J.OLMES  had  been  seated  for  some  hours  in  silence  with 
his  long,  thin  back  curved  over  a  chemical  vessel  in  which 
he  was  brewing  a  particularly  malodorous  product.  His  head1 
was  sunk  upon  his  breast,  and  he  looked  from  my  point  of 
view  like  a  strange,  lank  bird,  with  dull  grey  plumage  and  a 
black  top-knot. 

"So,  Watson,"  said  he,  suddenly,  "you  do  not  propose  to 
invest  in  South  African  securities  ?  " 

I  gave  a  start  of  astonishment.  Accustomed  as  I  was  to 
Holmes'  curious  faculties,  this  sudden  intrusion  into  my  most 
intimate  thoughts  was  utterly  inexplicable. 

"  How  on  earth  do  you  know  that  ?  "  I  asked. 

He  wheeled  round  upon  his  stool,  with  a  steaming  test-tube 
in  his  hand,  and  a  gleam  of  amusement  in  his  deep-set  eyes. 

"  Now,Watson,  confess  yourself  utterly  taken  aback,"  said  he. 

"  I  am." 

"  I  ought  to  make  you  sign  a  paper  to  that  effect." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  in  five  minutes  you  will  say  that  it  is  all  so  absurdly 
simple." 


62  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  I  am  sure  that  I  shall  say  nothing  of  the  kind." 

"You  see,  my  dear  Watson"  —  he  propped  his  test-tube  in 
the  rack,  and  began  to  lecture  with  the  air  of  a  professor  address- 
ing his  class  — "  it  is  not  really  difficult  to  construct  a  series  of 
inferences,  each  dependent  upon  its  predecessor  and  each  sim- 
ple in  itself.  If,  after  doing  so,  one  simply  knocks  out  all  the 
central  inferences  and  presents  one's  audience  with  the  starting- 
point  and  the  conclusion,  one  may  produce  a  startling,  though 
possibly  a  meretricious,  effect.  Now,  it  was  not  really  difficult, 
by  an  inspection  of  the  groove  between  your  left  forefinger  and 
thumb,  to  feel  sure  that  you  did  not  propose  to  invest  your 
small  capital  in  the  goldfields." 

"I  see  no  connection." 

"  Very  likely  not ;  but  I  can  quickly  show  you  a  close 
connection.  Here  are  the  missing  links  of  the  very  simple 
chain:  1.  You  had  chalk  between  your  left  finger  and 
thumb  when  you  returned  from  the  club  last  night.  2.  You 
put  chalk  there  when  you  play  billiards  to  steady  the  cue. 
3.  You  never  play  billiards  except  with  Thurston.  4.  You 
told  me,  four  weeks  ago,  that  Thurston  had  an  option  on 
some  South  African  property  which  would  expire  in  a  month, 
and  which  he  desired  you  to  share  with  him.  5.  Your 
cheque-book  is  locked  in  my  drawer,  and  you  have  not 
asked  for  the  key.  6.  You  do  not  propose  to  invest  your 
money  in  this  manner." 

"  How  absurdly  simple!  "  I  cried. 

"Quite  so!"  said  he,  a  little  nettled.  "Every  problem  be- 
comes very  childish  when  once  it  is  explained  to  you.  Here  is 
an  unexplained  one.  See  what  you  can  make  of  that,  friend 
Watson."  He  tossed  a  sheet  of  paper  upon  the  table,  and 
turned  once  more  to  his  chemical  analysis. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  63 

I  looked  with  amazement  at  the  absurd  hieroglyphics  upon 
the  paper. 

"  Why,  Holmes,  it  is  a  child's  drawing,"  I  cried. 

"Oh,  that's  your  idea!" 

"  What  else  should  it  be  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt,  of  Riding  Thorpe  Manor, 
Norfolk,  is  very  anxious  to  know.  This  little  conundrum  came 
by  the  first  post,  and  he  was  to  follow  by  the  next  train.  There's 
a  ring  at  the  bell,  Watson.  I  should  not  be  very  much  sur- 
prised if  this  were  he." 

A  heavy  step  was  heard  upon  the  stairs,  and  an  instant  later 
there  entered  a  tall,  ruddy,  clean-shaven  gentleman,  whose 
clear  eyes  and  florid  cheeks  told  of  a  life  led  far  from  the  fogs 
of  Baker  Street.  He  seemed  to  bring  a  whiff  of  his  strong, 
fresh,  bracing,  east-coast  air  with  him  as  he  entered.  Having 
shaken  hands  with  each  of  us,  he  was  about  to  sit  down,  when  , 
his  eye  rested  upon  the  paper  with  the  curious  markings,  which 
I  had  just  examined  and  left  upon  the  table. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  what  do  you  make  of  these  ?  "  he  cried. 
"  They  told  me  that  you  were  fond  of  queer  mysteries,  and  I  don't 
think  you  can  find  a  queerer  one  than  that.  I  sent  the  paper  on 
ahead,  so  that  you  might  have  time  to  study  it  before  I  came." 

"It  is  certainly  rather  a  curious  production,"  said  Holmes. 
"  At  first  sight  it  would  appear  to  be  some  childish  prank.  It 
consists  of  a  number  of  absurd  little  figures  dancing  across  the 
paper  upon  which  they  are  drawn.  Why  should  you  attribute 
any  importance  to  so  grotesque  an  object  ?  " 

"  I  never  should,  Mr.  Holmes.  But  my  wife  does.  It  is 
frightening  her  to  death.  She  says  nothing,  but  I  can  see 
terror  in  her  eyes.  That's  why  I  want  to  sift  the  matter  to  the 
bottom." 


64        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Holmes  held  up  the  paper  so  that  the  sunlight  shone  full  upon 
it.  It  was  a  page  torn  from  a  note-book.  The  markings  were 
done  in  pencil,  and  ran  in  this  way:  — 


Holmes  examined  it  for  some  time,  and  then,  folding  it  care- 
fully up,  he  placed  it  in  his  pocket-book. 

"  This  promises  to  be  a  most  interesting  and  unusual  case," 
said  he.  "  You  gave  me  a  few  particulars  in  your  letter,  Mr. 
Hilton  Cubitt,  but  I  should  be  very  much  obliged  if  you  would 
kindly  go  over  it  all  again  for  the  benefit  of  my  friend,  Dr. 
Watson." 

"  I'm  not  much  of  a  story-teller,"  said  our  visitor,  nervously 
clasping  and  unclasping  his  great,  strong  hands.  "  You'll  just 
ask  me  anything  that  I  don't  make  clear.  I'll  begin  at  the 
time  of  my  marriage  last  year,  but  I  want  to  say  first  of  all  that, 
though  I'm  not  a  rich  man,  my  people  have  been  at  Riding 
Thorpe  for  a  matter  of  five  centuries,  and  there  is  no  better- 
known  family  in  the  County  of  Norfolk.  Last  year  I  came  up 
to  London  for  the  Jubilee,  and  I  stopped  at  a  boarding-house  in 
Russell  Square,  because  Parker,  the  vicar  of  our  parish,  was 
staying  in  it.  There  was  an  American  young  lady  there  — 
Patrick  was  the  name  —  Elsie  Patrick.  In  some  way  we  be- 
came friends,  until  before  my  month  was  up  I  was  as  much  in 
love  as  man  could  be.  We  were  quietly  married  at  a  registry 
office,  and  we  returned  to  Norfolk  a  wedded  couple.  You'll 
think  it  very  mad,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  a  man  of  a  good  old  family 
should  marry  a  wife  in  this  fashion,  knowing  nothing  of  her 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN      65 

past  or  of  her  people,  but  if  you  saw  her  and  knew  her,  it 
would  help  you  to  understand. 

"She  was  very  straight  about  it,  was  Elsie.  I  can't  say 
that  she  did  not  give  me  every  chance  of  getting  out  of  it  if  I 
wished  to  do  so.  *  I  have  had  some  very  disagreeable  associa- 
tions in  my  life,'  said  she,  '  I  wish  to  forget  all  about  them.  I 
would  rather  never  allude  to  the  past,  for  it  is  very  painful  to 
me.  If  you  take  me,  Hilton,  you  will  take  a  woman  who  has 
nothing  that  she  need  be  personally  ashamed  of;  but  you  will 
have  to  be  content  with  my  word  for  it,  and  to  allow  me  to  be 
silent  as  to  all  that  passed  up  to  the  time  when  I  became  yours. 
If  these  conditions  are  too  hard,  then  go  back  to  Norfolk,  and 
leave  me  to  the  lonely  life  in  which  you  found  me.'  It  was  only 
the  day  before  our  wedding  that  she  said  those  very  words  to 
me.  I  told  her  that  I  was  content  to  take  her  on  her  own 
terms,  and  I  have  been  as  good  as  my  word. 

"  Well,  we  have  been  married  now  for  a  year,  and  very  happy 
we  have  been.  But  about  a  month  ago,  at  the  end  of  June,  I 
saw  for  the  first  time  signs  of  trouble.  One  day  my  wife  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  America.  I  saw  the  American  stamp.  She 
turned  deadly  white,  read  the  letter,  and  threw  it  into  the  fire. 
She  made  no  allusion  to  it  afterwards,  and  I  made  none,  for  a 
promise  is  a  promise,  but  she  has  never  known  an  easy  hour 
from  that  moment.  There  is  always  a  look  of  fear  upon  her 
face  —  a  look  as  if  she  were  waiting  and  expecting.  She 
would  do  better  to  trust  me.  She  would  find  that  I  was  her 
best  friend.  But  until  she  speaks,  I  can  say  nothing.  Mind 
you,  she  is  a  truthful  woman,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  whatever  trou- 
ble there  may  have  been  in  her  past  life  it  has  been  no  fault  of 
hers.  I  am  only  a  simple  Norfolk  squire,  but  there  is  not  a 
man  in  England  who  ranks  his  family  honour  more  highly  than 


66       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

I  do.  She  knows  it  well,  and  she  knew  it  well  before  she  mar- 
ried me.  She  would  never  bring  any  stain  upon  it  —  of  that  I 
am  sure. 

"  Well,  now  I  come  to  the  queer  part  of  my  story.  About  a 
week  ago  —  it  was  the  Tuesday  of  last  week  —  I  found  on  one 
of  the  window-sills  a  number  of  absurd  little  dancing  figures 
like  these  upon  the  paper.  They  were  scrawled  with  chalk. 
I  thought  that  it  was  the  stable-boy  who  had  drawn  them,  but 
the  lad  swore  he  knew  nothing  about  it.  Anyhow,  they  had 
come  there  during  the  night.  I  had  them  washed  out,  and  I 
only  mentioned  the  matter  to  my  wife  afterwards.  To  my  sur- 
prise, she  took  it  very  seriously,  and  begged  me  if  any  more  came 
to  let  her  see  them.  None  did  come  for  a  week,  and  then  yester- 
day morning  I  found  this  paper  lying  on  the  sun-dial  in  the 
garden.  I  showed  it  to  Elsie,  and  down  she  dropped  in  a  dead 
faint.  Since  then  she  has  looked  like  a  woman  in  a  dream, 
half  dazed,  and  with  terror  always  lurking  in  her  eyes.  It  was 
then  that  I  wrote  and  sent  the  paper  to  you,  Mr.  Holmes.  It 
was  not  a  thing  that  I  could  take  to  the  police,  for  they  would 
have  laughed  at  me,  but  you  will  tell  me  what  to  do.  I  am  not 
a  rich  man,  but  if  there  is  any  danger  threatening  my  little 
woman,  I  would  spend  my  last  copper  to  shield  her." 

He  was  a  fine  creature,  this  man  of  the  old  English  soil  —  sim- 
ple, straight,  and  gentle,  with  his  great,  earnest  blue  eyes  and 
broad,  comely  face.  His  love  for  his  wife  and  his  trust  in  her 
shone  in  his  features.  Holmes  had  listened  to  his  story  with 
the  utmost  attention,  and  now  he  sat  for  some  time  in  silent 
thought. 

"Don't  you  think,  Mr.  Cubitt,"  said  he,  at  last,  "that  your 
best  plan  would  be  to  make  a  direct  appeal  to  your  wife,  and 
to  ask  her  to  share  her  secret  with  you  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN      67 

Hilton  Cubitt  shook  his  massive  head. 

"A  promise  is  a  promise,  Mr.  Holmes.  If  Elsie  wished  to 
tell  me  she  would.  If  not,  it  is  not  for  me  to  force  her  con- 
fidence. But  I  am  justified  in  taking  my  own  line  —  and  I 
will." 

"  Then  I  will  help  you  with  all  my  heart.  In  the  first  place, 
have  you  heard  of  any  strangers  being  seen  in  your  neighbour- 
hood?" 

"No." 

"I  presume  that  it  is  a  very  quiet  place.  Any  fresh  face 
would  cause  comment  ?  " 

"  In  the  immediate  neighbourhood,  yes.  But  we  have  several 
small  watering-places  not  very  far  away.  And  the  farmers 
take  in  lodgers." 

"These  hieroglyphics  have  evidently  a  meaning.  If  it  is 
a  purely  arbitrary  one,  it  may  be  impossible  for  us  to  solve  it. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  systematic,  I  have  no  doubt  that  we 
shall  get  to  the  bottom  of  it.  But  this  particular  sample  is 
so  short  that  I  can  do  nothing,  and  the  facts  which  you  have 
brought  me  are  so  indefinite  that  we  have  no  basis  for  an  in- 
vestigation. I  would  suggest  that  you  return  to  Norfolk,  that 
you  keep  a  keen  look-out,  and  that  you  take  an  exact  copy  of 
any  fresh  dancing  men  which  may  appear.  It  is  a  thousand 
pities  that  we  have  not  a  reproduction  of  those  which  were  done 
in  chalk  upon  the  window-sill.  Make  a  discreet  inquiry  also 
as  to  any  strangers  in  the  neighbourhood.  When  you  have 
collected  some  fresh  evidence,  come  to  me  again.  That  is  the 
best  advice  which  I  can  give  you,  Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt.  If  there 
are  any  pressing  fresh  developments,  I  shall  be  always  ready  to 
run  down  and  see  you  in  your  Norfolk  home." 

The  interview  left  Sherlock  Holmes  very  thoughtful,  and 


68        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

several  times  in  the  next  few  days  I  saw  him  take  his  slip  of 
paper  from  his  note-book  and  look  long  and  earnestly  at  the 
curious  figures  inscribed  upon  it.  He  made  no  allusion  to  the 
affair,  however,  until  one  afternoon  a  fortnight  or  so  later.  I 
was  going  out  when  he  called  me  back. 

"  You  had  better  stay  here,  Watson." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  I  had  a  wire  from  Hilton  Cubitt  this  morning. 
You  remember  Hilton  Cubitt,  of  the  dancing  men  ?  He  was  to 
reach  Liverpool  Street  at  one-twenty.  He  may  be  here  at  any 
moment.  I  gather  from  his  wire  that  there  have  been  some 
new  incidents  of  importance." 

We  had  not  long  to  wait,  for  our  Norfolk  squire  came  straight 
from  the  station  as  fast  as  a  hansom  could  bring  him.  He  was 
looking  worried  and  depressed,  with  tired  eyes  and  a  lined  fore- 
head. 

"  It's  getting  on  my  nerves,  this  business,  Mr.  Holmes,"  said 
he,  as  he  sank,  like  a  wearied  man,  into  an  armchair.  "  It's 
bad  enough  to  feel  that  you  are  surrounded  by  unseen,  unknown 
folk,  who  have  some  kind  of  design  upon  you,  but  when,  in 
addition  to  that,  you  know  that  it  is  just  killing  your  wife  by 
inches,  then  it  becomes  as  much  as  flesh  and  blood  can  endure. 
She's  wearing  away  under  it  —  just  wearing  away  before  my 
eyes." 

"  Has  she  said  anything  yet  ?  " 

"No,  Mr.  Holmes,  she  has  not.  And  yet  there  have  been 
times  when  the  poor  girl  has  wanted  to  speak,  and  yet  could  not 
quite  bring  herself  to  take  the  plunge.  I  have  tried  to  help 
her,  but  I  dare  say  I  did  it  clumsily,  and  scared  her  from  it. 
She  has  spoken  about  my  old  family,  and  our  reputation  in  the 
county,  and  our  pride  in  our  unsullied  honour,  and  I  always 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  60 

felt  it  was  leading  to  the  point,  but  somehow  it  turned  off  before 
we  got  there." 

"  But  you  have  found  out  something  for  yourself  ?  " 

"A  good  deal,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  have  several  fresh  dancing- 
men  pictures  for  you  to  examine,  and,  what  is  more  important, 
I  have  seen  the  fellow." 

"  What,  the  man  who  draws  them  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  saw  him  at  his  work.  But  I  will  tell  you  every- 
thing in  order.  When  I  got  back  after  my  visit  to  you,  the  very 
first  thing  I  saw  next  morning  was  a  fresh  crop  of  dancing  men. 
They  had  been  drawn  in  chalk  upon  the  black  wooden  door  of 
the  tool-house,  which  stands  beside  the  lawn  in  full  view  of  the 
front  windows.  I  took  an  exact  copy,  and  here  it  is."  He 
unfolded  a  paper  and  laid  it  upon  the  table.  Here  is  a  copy  of 
the  hieroglyphics:  — 


" Excellent !"  said  Holmes.     "Excellent!     Pray  continue." 
"  When  I  had  taken  the  copy,  I  rubbed  out  the  marks,  but, 

two  mornings  later,  a  fresh  inscription  had  appeared.     I  have  a 

copy  of  it  here  " :  — 


Holmes  rubbed  his  hands  and  chuckled  with  delight. 

"  Our  material  is  rapidly  accumulating,"  said  he. 

"  Three  days  later  a  message  was  left  scrawled  upon  paper, 
and  placed  under  a  pebble  upon  the  sun-dial.  Here  it  is.  The 
characters  are,  as  you  see,  exactly  the  same  as  the  last  one. 
After  that  I  determined  to  lie  in  wait,  so  I  got  out  my  revolver 
and  I  sat  up  in  my  study,  which  overlooks  the  lawn  and  garden. 


70        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

About  two  in  the  morning  I  was  seated  by  the  window,  all  being 
dark  save  for  the  moonlight  outside,  when  I  heard  steps  behind 
me,  and  there  was  my  wife  in  her  dressing-gown.  She  implored 
me  to  come  to  bed.  I  told  her  frankly  that  I  wished  to  see  who 
it  was  who  played  such  absurd  tricks  upon  us.  She  answered 
that  it  was  some  senseless  practical  joke,  and  that  I  should  not 
take  any  notice  of  it. 

"  '  If  it  really  annoys  you,  Hilton,  we  might  go  and  travel, 
you  and  I,  and  so  avoid  this  nuisance.' 

"  'What,  be  driven  out  of  our  own  house  by  a  practical 
joker  ? '  said  I.  '  Why,  we  should  have  the  whole  county  laugh- 
ing at  us.' 

"  '  Well,  come  to  bed,'  said  she,  *  and  we  can  discuss  it  in  the 
morning.' 

"  Suddenly,  as  she  spoke,  I  saw  her  white  face  grow  whiter 
yet  in  the  moonlight,  and  her  hand  tightened  upon  my  shoulder. 
Something  was  moving  in  the  shadow  of  the  tool-house.  I  saw 
a  dark,  creeping  figure  which  crawled  round  the  corner  and 
squatted  in  front  of  the  door.  Seizing  my  pistol,  I  was  rushing 
out,  when  my  wife  threw  her  arms  round  me  and  held  me  with 
convulsive  strength.  I  tried  to  throw  her  off,  but  she  clung  to 
me  most  desperately.  At  last  I  got  clear,  but  by  the  time  I  had 
opened  the  door  and  reached  the  house  the  creature  was  gohe. 
He  had  left  a  trace  of  his  presence,  however,  for  there  on  the 
door  was  the  very  same  arrangement  of  dancing  men  which  had 
already  twice  appeared,  and  which  I  have  copied  on  that  paper. 
There  was  no  other  sign  of  the  fellow  anywhere,  though  I  ran 
all  over  the  grounds.  And  yet  the  amazing  thing  is  that  he 
must  have  been  there  all  the  time,  for  when  I  examined  the 
door  again  in  the  morning  he  had  scrawled  some  more  of  his 
pictures  under  the  line  which  I  had  already  seen." 


"  T  H  R  K  K     DAYS     LATER    A    M  E  S  S  A  Ci  K     WAS     LEFT    I"  X  D  E  R     A    P  K  B  B  L  E 

CPOV  THE  sux -DIAL'' 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  71 

"  Have  you  that  fresh  drawing  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  is  very  short,  but  I  made  a  copy  of  it,  and  here  it  is." 
Again  he  produced  a  paper.     The  new  dance  was  in  this 
form:  — 

XXiTf- 

"  Tell  me,"  said  Holmes  —  and  I  could  see  by  his  eyes  that 
he  was  much  excited  — "  was  this  a  mere  addition  to  the  first, 
or  did  it  appear  to  be  entirely  separate  ?  " 

"  It  was  on  a  different  panel  of  the  door." 

"Excellent!  This  is  far  the  most  important  of  all  for  our 
purpose.  It  fills  me  with  hopes.  Now,  Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt, 
please  continue  your  most  interesting  statement." 

"  I  have  nothing  more  to  say,  Mr.  Holmes,  except  that  I  was 
angry  with  my  wife  that  night  for  having  held  me  back  when  I 
might  have  caught  the  skulking  rascal.  She  said  that  she 
feared  that  I  might  come  to  harm.  For  an  instant  it  had  crossed 
my  mind  that  perhaps  what  she  really  feared  was  that  he 
might  come  to  harm,  for  I  could  not  doubt  that  she  knew  who 
this  man  was,  and  what  he  meant  by  these  strange  signals.  But 
there  is  a  tone  in  my  wife's  voice,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  a  look  in 
her  eyes  which  forbid  doubt,  and  I  am  sure  that  it  was 
indeed  my  own  safety  that  was  in  her  mind.  There's  the 
whole  case,  and  now  I  want  your  advice  as  to  what  I  ought 
to  do.  My  own  inclination  is  to  put  half  a  dozen  of  my 
farm  lads  in  the  shrubbery,  and  when  this  fellow  comes 
again  to  give  him  such  a  hiding  that  he  will  leave  us  in  peace 
for  the  future." 

"  I  fear  it  is  too  deep  a  case  for  such  simple  remedies,"  said 
Holmes.  "  How  long  can  you  stay  in  London  ?  " 

"  I  must  go  back  to-day.     I  would  not  leave  my  wife  alone 


72  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

at  night  for  anything.  She  is  very  nervous,  and  begged  me  to 
come  back." 

"  I  dare  say  you  are  right.  But  if  you  could  have  stopped, 
I  might  possibly  have  been  able  to  return  with  you  in  a  day  or 
two.  Meanwhile  you  will  leave  me  these  papers,  and  I  think 
that  it  is  very  likely  that  I  shall  be  able  to  pay  you  a  visit  shortly 
and  to  throw  some  light  upon  your  case." 

Sherlock  Holmes  preserved  his  calm  professional  manner 
until  our  visitor  had  left  us,  although  it  was  easy  for  me,  who 
knew  him  so  well,  to  see  that  he  was  profoundly  excited.  The 
moment  that  Hilton  Cubitt's  broad  back  had  disappeared 
through  the  door  my  comrade  rushed  to  the  table,  laid  out  all 
the  slips  of  paper  containing  dancing  men  in  front  of  him,  and 
threw  himself  into  an  intricate  and  elaborate  calculation.  For 
two  hours  I  watched  him  as  he  covered  sheet  after  sheet  of 
paper  with  figures  and  letters,  so  completely  absorbed  in  his 
task  that  he  had  evidently  forgotten  my  presence.  Sometimes 
he  was  making  progress  and  whistled  and  sang  at  his  work; 
sometimes  he  was  puzzled,  and  would  sit  for  long  spells  with 
a  furrowed  brow  and  a  vacant  eye.  Finally  he  sprang  from 
his  chair  with  a  cry  of  satisfaction,  and  walked  up  and  down 
the  room  rubbing  his  hands  together  Then  he  wrote  a  long 
telegram  upon  a  cable  form.  "If  my  answer  to  this  is  as  I 
hope,  you  will  have  a  very  pretty  case  to  add  to  your  collection, 
Watson,"  said  he.  "  I  expect  that  we  shall  be  able  to  go  down 
to  Norfolk  to-morrow,  and  to  take  our  friend  some  very  definite 
news  as  to  the  secret  of  his  annoyance." 

I  confess  that  I  was  filled  with  curiosity,  but  I  was  aware 
that  Holmes  liked  to  make  his  disclosures  at  his  own  time  and 
in  his  own  way,  so  I  waited  until  it  should  suit  him  to  take  me 
into  his  confidence. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN      78 

But  there  was  a  delay  in  that  answering  telegram,  and  two 
days  of  impatience  followed,  during  which  Holmes  pricked  up 
his  ears  at  every  ring  of  the  bell.  On  the  evening  of  the  second 
there  came  a  letter  from  Hilton  Cubitt.  All  was  quiet  with 
him,  save  that  a  long  inscription  had  appeared  that  morning 
upon  the  pedestal  of  the  sun-dial.  He  inclosed  a  copy  of  it, 
which  is  here  reproduced  :  — 


Holmes  bent  over  this  grotesque  frieze  for  some  minutes,  and 
then  suddenly  sprang  to  his  feet  with  an  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise and  dismay.  His  face  was  haggard  with  anxiety. 

"  We  have  let  this  affair  go  far  enough,"  said  he.  "  Is  there 
a  train  to  North  Walsham  to-night  ?  " 

I  turned  up  the  time-table.     The  last  had  just  gone. 

"  Then  we  shall  breakfast  early  and  take  the  very  first  in  the 
morning,"  said  Holmes.  "Our  presence  is  most  urgently 
needed.  Ah  !  here  is  our  expected  cablegram.  One  moment, 
Mrs.  Hudson,  there  may  be  an  answer.  No,  that  is  quite  as  I 
expected.  This  message  makes  it  even  more  essential  that  we 
should  not  lose  an  hour  in  letting  Hilton  Cubitt  know  how 
matters  stand,  for  it  is  a  singular  and  a  dangerous  web  in  which 
our  simple  Norfolk  squire  is  entangled." 

So,  indeed,  it  proved,  and  as  I  come  to  the  dark  conclusion 
of  a  story  which  had  seemed  to  me  to  be  only  childish  and  bi- 
zarre, I  experience  once  again  the  dismay  and  horror  with  which 
I  was  filled.  Would  that  I  had  some  brighter  ending  to  com- 
municate to  my  readers,  but  these  are  the  chronicles  of  fact, 
and  I  must  follow  to  their  dark  crisis  the  strange  chain  of  events 


74       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

which  for  some  days  made  Riding  Thorpe  Manor  a  household 
word  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  England. 

We  had  hardly  alighted  at  North  Walsham,  and  mentioned 
the  name  of  our  destination,  when  the  station-master  hurried 
towards  us.  "  I  suppose  that  you  are  the  detectives  from  Lon- 
don ?  "  said  he. 

A  look  of  annoyance  passed  over  Holmes'  face. 

"  What  makes  you  think  such  a  thing  ?  " 

"Because  Inspector  Martin  from  Norwich  has  just  passed 
through.  But  maybe  you  are  the  surgeons.  She's  not  dead  — 
or  wasn't  by  last  accounts.  You  may  be  in  time  to  save  her 
yet  —  though  it  be  for  the  gallows." 

Holmes'  brow  was  dark  with  anxiety. 

"We  are  going  to  Riding  Thorpe  Manor,"  said  he,  "but  we 
have  heard  nothing  of  what  has  passed  there." 

"  It's  a  terrible  business,"  said  the  station-master.  "  They 
are  shot,  both  Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt  and  his  wife.  She  shot  him 
and  then  herself  —  so  the  servants  say.  He's  dead  and  her 
life  is  despaired  of.  Dear,  dear,  one  of  the  oldest  families  in 
the  County  of  Norfolk,  and  one  of  the  most  honoured." 

Without  a  word  Holmes  hurried  to  a  carriage,  and  during 
the  long  seven  miles  drive  he  never  opened  his  mouth.  Sel- 
dom have  I  seen  him  so  utterly  despondent.  He  had  been 
uneasy  during  all  our  journey  from  town,  and  I  had  observed 
that  he  had  turned  over  the  morning  papers  with  anxious  atten- 
tion, but  now  this  sudden  realization  of  his  worst  fears  left  him 
in  a  blank  melancholy.  He  leaned  back  in  his  seat,  lost  in 
gloomy  speculation.  Yet  there  was  much  around  to  interest 
us,  for  we  were  passing  through  as  singular  a  country-side  as 
any  in  England,  where  a  few  scattered  cottages  represented  the 
population  of  to-day,  while  on  every  hand  enormous  square- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  75 

towered  churches  bristled  up  from  the  flat,  green  landscape 
and  told  of  the  glory  and  prosperity  of  old  East  Anglia.  At 
last  the  violet  rim  of  the  German  Ocean  appeared  over  the 
green  edge  of  the  Norfolk  coast,  and  the  driver  pointed  with  his 
whip  to  two  old  brick  and  timber  gables  which  projected  from 
a  grove  of  trees.  "  That's  Riding  Thorpe  Manor,"  said  he. 

As  we  drove  up  to  the  porticoed  front  door,  I  observed  in 
front  of  it,  beside  the  tennis  lawn,  the  black  tool-house  and  the 
pedestalled  sun-dial  with  which  we  had  such  strange  associa- 
tions. A  dapper  little  man,  with  a  quick,  alert  manner  and  a 
waxed  moustache,  had  just  descended  from  a  high  dog-cart. 
He  introduced  himself  as  Inspector  Martin,  of  the  Norfolk 
Constabulary,  and  he  was  considerably  astonished  when  he 
heard  the  name  of  my  companion. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Holmes,  the  crime  was  only  committed  at  three 
this  morning.  How  could  you  hear  of  it  in  London  and  get 
to  the  spot  as  soon  as  I  ?  " 

"  I  anticipated  it.     I  came  in  the  hope  of  preventing  it." 

"  Then  you  must  have  important  evidence,  of  which  we  are 
ignorant,  for  they  were  said  to  be  a  most  united  couple." 

"  I  have  only  the  evidence  of  the  dancing  men,"  said  Holmes. 
"  I  will  explain  the  matter  to  you  later.  Meanwhile,  since  it 
is  too  late  to  prevent  this  tragedy,  I  am  very  anxious  that  I 
should  use  the  knowledge  which  I  possess  in  order  to  insure 
that  justice  be  done.  Will  you  associate  me  in  your  investiga- 
tion, or  will  you  prefer  that  I  should  act  independently  ?  " 

"  I  should  be  proud  to  feel  that  we  were  acting  together,  Mr. 
Holmes,"  said  the  inspector,  earnestly. 

"  In  that  case  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  the  evidence  and  to 
examine  the  premises  without  an  instant  of  unnecessary  delay." 

Inspector  Martin  had  the  good  sense  to  allow  my  friend  to 


76        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

do  things  in  his  own  fashion,  and  contented  himself  with  care- 
fully noting  the  results.  The  local  surgeon,  an  old,  white- 
haired  man,  had  just  come  down  from  Mrs.  Hilton  Cubitt's 
room,  and  he  reported  that  her  injuries  were  serious,  but  not 
necessarily  fatal.  The  bullet  had  passed  through  the  front 
of  her  brain,  and  it  would  probably  be  some  time  before  she 
could  regain  consciousness.  On  the  question  of  whether  she 
had  been  shot  or  had  shot  herself,  he  would  not  venture  to  ex- 
press any  decided  opinion.  Certainly  the  bullet  had  been  dis- 
charged at  very  close  quarters.  There  was  only  the  one  pistol 
found  in  the  room,  two  barrels  of  which  had  been  emptied. 
Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt  had  been  shot  through  the  heart.  It  was 
equally  conceivable  that  he  had  shot  her  and  then  himself,  or 
that  she  had  been  the  criminal,  for  the  revolver  lay  upon  the 
floor  midway  between  them. 

"  Has  he  been  moved  ?  "  asked  Holmes. 

"We  have  moved  nothing  except  the  lady.  We  could  not 
leave  her  lying  wounded  upon  the  floor." 

"  How  long  have  you  been  here,  doctor  ?  " 

"  Since  four  o'clock." 

"  Anyone  else  ?  " 

"Yes,  the  constable  here." 

"  And  you  have  touched  nothing  ?  " 

"Nothing." 

"  You  have  acted  with  great  discretion.     Who  sent  for  you  ?  " 

"  The  housemaid,  Saunders." 

"  Was  it  she  who  gave  the  alarm  ?  " 

"She  and  Mrs.  King,  the  cook." 

"  Where  are  they  now  ?  " 

"  In  the  kitchen,  I  believe." 

"  Then  I  think  we  had  better  hear  their  story  at  once." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN      77 

The  old  hall,  oak-panelled  and  high-windowed,  had  been 
turned  into  a  court  of  investigation.  Holmes  sat  in  a  great, 
old-fashioned  chair,  his  inexorable  eyes  gleaming  out  of  his 
haggard  face.  I  could  read  in  them  a  set  purpose  to  devote  his 
life  to  this  quest  until  the  client  whom  he  had  failed  to  save 
should  at  last  be  avenged.  The  trim  Inspector  Martin,  the 
old,  grey-headed  country  doctor,  myself,  and  a  stolid  village 
policeman  made  up  the  rest  of  that  strange  company. 

The  two  women  told  their  story  clearly  enough.  They  had 
been  aroused  from  their  sleep  by  the  sound  of  an  explosion, 
which  had  been  followed  a  minute  later  by  a  second  one.  They 
slept  in  adjoining  rooms,  and  Mrs.  King  had  rushed  in  to  Saun- 
ders.  Together  they  had  descended  the  stairs.  The  door  of 
the  study  was  open,  and  a  candle  was  burning  upon  the  table. 
Their  master  lay  upon  his  face  in  the  centre  of  the  room.  He 
was  quite  dead.  Near  the  window  his  wife  was  crouching,  her 
head  leaning  against  the  wall.  She  was  horribly  wounded, 
and  the  side  of  her  face  was  red  with  blood.  She  breathed 
heavily,  but  was  incapable  of  saying  anything.  The  passage, 
as  well  as  the  room,  was  full  of  smoke  and  the  smell  of  powder. 
The  window  was  certainly  shut  and  fastened  upon  the  inside. 
Both  women  were  positive  upon  the  point.  They  had  at  once 
sent  for  the  doctor  and  for  the  constable.  Then,  with  the  aid 
of  the  groom  and  the  stable-boy,  they  had  conveyed  their  in- 
jured mistress  to  her  room.  Both  she  and  her  husband  had 
occupied  the  bed.  She  was  clad  in  her  dress  —  he  in  his  dress- 
ing gown,  over  his  night-clothes.  Nothing  had  been  moved  in 
the  study.  So  far  as  they  knew,  there  had  never  been  any  quar- 
rel between  husband  and  wife.  They  had  always  looked  upon 
them  as  a  very  united  couple. 

These  were  the  main  points  of  the  servants'  evidence.     In 


78  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

answer  to  Inspector  Martin,  they  were  clear  that  every  door  was 
fastened  upon  the  inside,  and  that  no  one  could  have  escaped 
from  the  house.  In  answer  to  Holmes,  they  both  remembered 
that  they  were  conscious  of  the  smell  of  powder  from  the  mo- 
ment that  they  ran  out  of  their  rooms  upon  the  top  floor.  "  I 
commend  that  fact  very  carefully  to  your  attention,"  said 
Holmes  to  his  professional  colleague.  "  And  now  I  think  that 
we  are  in  a  position  to  undertake  a  thorough  examination  of 
the  room." 

The  study  proved  to  be  a  small  chamber,  lined  on  three  sides 
with  books,  and  with  a  writing-table  facing  an  ordinary  win- 
dow, which  looked  out  upon  the  garden.  Our  first  attention 
was  given  to  the  body  of  the  unfortunate  squire,  whose  huge 
frame  lay  stretched  across  the  room.  His  disordered  dress 
showed  that  he  had  been  hastily  aroused  from  sleep.  The 
bullet  had  been  fired  at  him  from  the  front,  and  had  remained 
in  his  body  after  penetrating  the  heart.  His  death  had  cer- 
tainly been  instantaneous  and  painless.  There  was  no  pow- 
der-marking either  upon  his  dressing-gown  or  on  his  hands. 
According  to  the  country  surgeon,  the  lady  had  stains  upon 
her  face,  but  none  upon  her  hand. 

"  The  absence  of  the  latter  means  nothing,  though  its  presence 
may  mean  everything,"  said  Holmes.  "  Unless  the  powder  from 
a  badly  fitting  cartridge  happens  to  spurt  backwards,  one  may 
fire  many  shots  without  leaving  a  sign.  I  would  suggest  that 
Mr.  Cubitt's  body  may  now  be  removed.  I  suppose,  Doctor, 
you  have  not  recovered  the  bullet  which  wounded  the  lady  ?  " 

"A  serious  operation  will  be  necessary  before  that  can  be 
done.  But  there  are  still  four  cartridges  in  the  revolver.  Two 
have  been  fired  and  two  wounds  inflicted,  so  that  each  bullet 
can  be  accounted  for. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  79 

"So  it  would  seem,"  said  Holmes.  "Perhaps  you  can 
account  also  for  the  bullet  which  has  so  obviously  struck  the 
edge  of  the  window  ?  " 

He  had  turned  suddenly,  and  his  long,  thin  finger  was  pointing 
to  a  hole  which  had  been  drilled  right  through  the  lower  win- 
dow-sash, about  an  inch  above  the  bottom. 

"  By  George! "  cried  the  inspector.  "  How  ever  did  you  see 
that?" 

"  Because  I  looked  for  it." 

"  Wonderful ! "  said  the  country  doctor.  "  You  are  certainly 
right,  sir.  Then  a  third  shot  has  been  fired,  and  therefore  a 
third  person  must  have  been  present.  But  who  could  that 
have  been,  and  how  could  he  have  got  away  ?  " 

"That  is  the  problem  which  we  are  now  about  to  solve," 
said  Sherlock  Holmes.  "You  remember,  Inspector  Martin, 
when  the  servants  said  that  on  leaving  their  room  they  were  at 
once  conscious  of  a  smell  of  powder,  I  remarked  that  the  point 
was  an  extremely  important  one  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir;  but  I  confess  I  did  not  quite  follow  you." 

"  It  suggested  that  at  the  time  of  the  firing,  the  window  as  well 
as  the  door  of  the  room  had  been  open.  Otherwise  the  fumes 
of  powder  could  not  have  been  blown  so  rapidly  through  the 
house.  A  draught  in  the  room  was  necessary  for  that.  Both 
door  and  window  were  only  open  for  a  very  short  time,  how- 
ever." 

"  How  do  you  prove  that  ?  " 

"Because  the  candle  was  not  guttered." 

"  Capital ! "  cried  the  inspector.     "  Capital ! " 

"  Feeling  sure  that  the  window  had  been  open  at  the  time  of 
the  tragedy,  I  conceived  that  there  might  have  been  a  third  per- 
son in  the  affair,  who  stood  outside  this  opening  and  fired 


80        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

through  it.     Any  shot  directed  at  this  person  might  hit  the  sash. 
I  looked,  and  there,  sure  enough,  was  the  bullet  mark! " 

"  But  how  came  the  window  to  be  shut  and  fastened  ?  " 

"  The  woman's  first  instinct  would  be  to  shut  and  fasten  the 
window.  But,  halloa!  what  is  this  ?  " 

It  was  a  lady's  hand-bag  which  stood  upon  the  study  table  — 
a  trim  little  hand-bag  of  crocodile-skin  and  silver.     Holmes 
opened  it  and  turned  the  contents  out.     There  were  twenty 
fifty-pound  notes  of  the  Bank  of  England,  held  together  by  an 
india-rubber  band  —  nothing  else. 

"  This  must  be  preserved,  for  it  will  figure  in  the  trial,"  said 
Holmes,  as  he  handed  the  bag  with  its  contents  to  the  inspector. 
"  It  is  now  necessary  that  we  should  try  to  throw  some  light 
upon  this  third  bullet,  which  has  clearly,  from  the  splintering 
of  the  wood,  been  fired  from  inside  the  room.  I  should  like 
to  see  Mrs.  King,  the  cook,  again.  You  said,  Mrs.  King,  that 
you  were  awakened  by  a  loud  explosion.  When  you  said  that, 
did  you  mean  that  it  seemed  to  you  to  be  louder  than  the  second 
one?" 

"  Well,  sir,  it  wakened  me  from  my  sleep,  and  so  it  is  hard 
to  judge.  But  it  did  seem  very  loud." 

"  You  don't  think  that  it  might  have  been  two  shots  fired 
almost  at  the  same  instant  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure  I  couldn't  say,  sir." 

"  I  believe  that  it  was  undoubtedly  so.  I  rather  think,  In- 
spector Martin,  that  we  have  now  exhausted  all  that  this  room 
can  teach  us.  If  you  will  kindly  step  round  with  me,  we  shall 
see  what  fresh  evidence  the  garden  has  to  offer." 

A  flower-bed  extended  up  to  the  study  window,  and  we  all 
broke  into  an  exclamation  as  we  approached  it.  The  flowers 
were  trampled  down,  and  the  soft  soil  was  imprinted  all  over 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN       81 

with  footmarks.  Large,  masculine  feet  they  were,  with  pecu- 
liarly long,  sharp  toes.  Holmes  hunted  about  among  the  grass 
and  leaves  like  a  retriever  after  a  wounded  bird.  Then,  with 
a  cry  of  satisfaction,  he  bent  forward  and  picked  up  a  little 
brazen  cylinder. 

"I  thought  so,"  said  he;  "the  revolver  had  an  ejector,  and 
here  is  the  third  cartridge.  I  really  think,  Inspector  Martin, 
that  our  case  is  almost  complete." 

The  country  inspector's  face  had  shown  his  intense  amaze- 
ment at  the  rapid  and  masterful  progress  of  Holmes'  investiga- 
tion. At  first  he  had  shown  some  disposition  to  assert  his  own 
position,  but  now  he  was  overcome  with  admiration,  and  ready 
to  follow  without  question  wherever  Holmes  led. 

"  Whom  do  you  suspect  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I'll  go  into  that  later.  There  are  several  points  in  this  prob- 
lem which  I  have  not  been  able  to  explain  to  you  yet.  Now 
that  I  have  got  so  far,  I  had  best  proceed  on  my  own  lines,  and 
then  clear  the  whole  matter  up  once  and  for  all." 

"  Just  as  you  wish,  Mr.  Holmes,  so  long  as  we  get  our  man." 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  make  mysteries,  but  it  is  impossible  at 
the  moment  of  action  to  enter  into  long  and  complex  explana- 
tions. I  have  the  threads  of  this  affair  all  in  my  hand.  Even 
if  this  lady  should  never  recover  consciousness,  we  can  still 
reconstruct  the  events  of  last  night,  and  insure  that  justice  be 
done.  First  of  all,  I  wish  to  know  whether  there  is  any  inn  in 
this  neighbourhood  known  as  '  Elrige's '  ?  " 

The  servants  were  cross -questioned,  but  none  of  them  had 
heard  of  such  a  place.  The  stable-boy  threw  a  light  upon  the 
matter  by  remembering  that  a  farmer  of  that  name  lived  some 
miles  off,  in  the  direction  of  East  Ruston. 

"  Is  it  a  lonely  farm  ?  " 


82  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"Very  lonely,  sir." 

"  Perhaps  they  have  not  heard  yet  of  all  that  happened  here 
during  the  night  ?  " 

"  Maybe  not,  sir." 

Holmes  thought  for  a  little,  and  then  a  curious  smile  played 
over  his  face. 

"Saddle  a  horse,  my  lad,"  said  he.  "I  shall  wish  you  to 
take  a  note  to  Elrige's  Farm." 

He  took  from  his  pocket  the  various  slips  of  the  dancing  men. 
With  these  in  front  of  him,  he  worked  for  some  time  at  the 
study-table.  Finally  he  handed  a  note  to  the  boy,  with  direc- 
tions to  put  it  into  the  hands  of  the  person  to  whom  it  was  ad- 
dressed, and  especially  to  answer  no  questions  of  any  sort  which 
might  be  put  to  him.  I  saw  the  outside  of  the  note,  addressed 
in  straggling,  irregular  characters,  very  unlike  Holmes'  usual 
precise  hand.  It  was  consigned  to  Mr.  Abe  Slaney,  Elrige's 
Farm,  East  Ruston,  Norfolk. 

"  I  think,  Inspector,"  Holmes  remarked,  "  that  you  would  do 
well  to  telegraph  for  an  escort,  as,  if  my  calculations  prove  to 
be  correct,  you  may  have  a  particularly  dangerous  prisoner  to 
convey  to  the  county  gaol.  The  boy  who  takes  this  note 
could  no  doubt  forward  your  telegram.  If  there  is  an  afternoon 
train  to  town,  Watson,  I  think  we  should  do  well  to  take  it,  as 
I  have  a  chemical  analysis  of  some  interest  to  finish,  and  this 
investigation  draws  rapidly  to  a  close." 

When  the  youth  had  been  dispatched  with  the  note,  Sherlock 
Holmes  gave  his  instructions  to  the  servants.  If  any  visitor 
were  to  call  asking  for  Mrs.  Hilton  Cubitt,  no  information 
should  be  given  as  to  her  condition,  but  he  was  to  be  shown  at 
once  into  the  drawing-room.  He  impressed  these  points  upon 
them  with  the  utmost  earnestness.  Finally  he  led  the  way  into 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN      88 

the  drawing-room,  with  the  remark  that  the  business  was  now 
out  of  our  hands,  and  that  we  must  while  away  the  time  as  best 
we  might  until  we  could  see  what  was  in  store  for  us.  The 
doctor  had  departed  to  his  patients,  and  only  the  inspector  and 
myself  remained. 

"  I  think  that  I  can  help  you  to  pass  an  hour  in  an  interesting 
and  profitable  manner,"  said  Holmes,  drawing  his  chair  up  to 
the  table,  and  spreading  out  in  front  of  him  the  various  papers 
upon  which  were  recorded  the  antics  of  the  dancing  men.  "  As 
to  you,  friend  Watson,  I  owe  you  every  atonement  for  having 
allowed  you  natural  curiosity  to  remain  so  long  unsatisfied.  To 
you,  Inspector,  the  whole  incident  may  appeal  as  a  remarkable 
professional  study.  I  must  tell  you,  first  of  all,  the  interesting 
circumstances  connected  with  the  previous  consultations  which 
Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt  has  had  with  me  in  Baker  Street."  He 
then  shortly  recapitulated  the  facts  which  have  already 
been  recorded.  "  I  have  here  in  front  of  me  these  singular 
productions,  at  which  one  might  smile,  had  they  not 
proved  themselves  to  be  the  forerunners  of  so  terrible  a 
tragedy.  I  am  fairly  familiar  with  all  forms  of  secret  writ- 
ings, and  am  myself  the  author  of  a  trifling  monograph  upon 
the  subject,  in  which  I  analyse  one  hundred  and  sixty  separate 
ciphers,  but  I  confess  that  this  is  entirely  new  to  me.  The 
object  of  those  who  invented  the  system  has  apparently 
been  to  conceal  that  these  characters  convey  a  message, 
and  to  give  the  idea  that  they  are  the  mere  random  sketches 
of  children. 

"  Having  once  recognised,  however,  that  the  symbols  stood 
for  letters,  and  having  applied  the  rules  which  guide  us  in  all 
forms  of  secret  writings,  the  solution  was  easy  enough.  The 
first  message  submitted  to  me  was  so  short  that  it  was  impos- 


84        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

sible  for  me  to  do  more  than  to  say,  with  some  confidence,  that 
the  symbol  T  stood  for  E.  As  you  are  aware,  E  is  the  most 
common  letter  in  the  English  alphabet,  and  it  predominates  to 
so  marked  an  extent  that  even  in  a  short  sentence  one  would 
expect  to  find  it  most  often.  Out  of  fifteen  symbols  in  the 
first  message,  four  were  the  same,  so  it  was  reasonable  to  set 
this  down  as  E.  It  is  true  that  in  some  cases  the  figure  was 
bearing  a  flag,  and  in  some  cases  not,  but  it  was  probable, 
from  the  way  in  which  the  flags  were  distributed,  that  they 
were  used  to  break  the  sentence  up  into  words.  I  accepted 
this  as  a  hypothesis,  and  noted  that  E  was  represented  by  ^ 

"But  now  came  the  real  difficulty  of  the  inquiry.  The 
order  of  the  English  letters  after  E  is  by  no  means  well  marked, 
and  any  preponderance  which  may  be  shown  in  an  average 
of  a  printed  sheet  may  be  reversed  in  a  single  short  sentence. 
Speaking  roughly,  T,  A,  O,  I,  N,  S,  H,  R,  D,  and  L  are  the 
numerical  order  in  which  letters  occur;  but  T,  A,  O,  and  I  are 
very  nearly  abreast  of  each  other,  and  it  would  be  an  endless 
task  to  try  each  combination  until  a  meaning  was  arrived  at. 
I  therefore  waited  for  fresh  material.  In  my  second  inter- 
view with  Mr.  Hilton  Cubitt  he  was  able  to  give  me  two  other 
short  sentences  and  one  message,  which  appeared  —  since 
there  was  no  flag  —  to  be  a  single  word.  Here  are  the  symbols. 
Now,  in  the  single  word  I  have  already  got  the  two  E's  coming 
second  and  fourth  in  a  word  of  five  letters.  It  might  be  *  sever,' 
or  '  lever,'  or  '  never.'  There  can  be  no  question  that  the  latter 
as  a  reply  to  an  appeal  is  far  the  most  probable,  and  the  circum- 
stances pointed  to  its  being  a  reply  written  by  the  lady.  Accept- 
ing it  as  correct,  we  are  now  able  to  say  that  the  symbols  ¥  _I  'tl 
stand  respectively  for  N,  V,  and  R. 

"Even  now  I  was  in  considerable  difficulty,  but  a  happy 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN       85 

thought  put  me  in  possession  of  several  other  letters.  It  occur- 
red to  me  that  if  these  appeals  came,  as  I  expected,  from  some- 
one who  had  been  intimate  with  the  lady  in  her  early  life,  a 
combination  which  contained  two  E's  with  three  letters  between 
might  very  well  stand  for  the  name  *  ELSIE.'  On  examination 
I  found  that  such  a  combination  formed  the  termination  of 
the  message  which  was  three  times  repeated.  It  was  certainly 
some  appeal  to  '  Elsie.'  In  this  way  I  had  got  my  L,  S,  and  I. 
But  what  appeal  could  it  be  ?  There  were  only  four  letters 
in  the  word  which  preceded  '  Elsie,'  and  it  ended  in  E.  Surely 
the  word  must  be  '  COME.'  I  tried  all  other  four  letters  end- 
ing in  E,  but  could  find  none  to  fit  the  case.  So  now  I  was  in 
possession  of  C,  O,  and  M,  and  I  was  in  a  position  to  attack 
the  first  message  once  more,  dividing  it  into  words  and  putting 
dots  for  each  symbol  which  was  still  unknown.  So  treated,  it 
worked  out  in  this  fashion : — 

.M    .ERE    ..E    SL.NE. 

"  Now  the  first  letter  can  only  be  A,  which  is  a  most  useful 
discovery,  since  it  occurs  no  fewer  than  three  times  in  this  short 
sentence,  and  the  H  is  also  apparent  in  the  second  word.  Now 
it  becomes : — 

AM   HERE   A  .  E  SLANE. 

Or,  filling  in  the  obvious  vacancies  in  the  name : — 
AM    HERE    ABE    SLANEY. 

I  had  so  many  letters  now  that  I  could  proceed  with  consider- 
able confidence  to  the  second  message,  which  worked  out  in 
this  fashion : — 

A.    ELRI.ES. 

Here  I  could  only  make  sense  by  putting  T  and  G  for  the  miss- 


86        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

ing  letters,  and  supposing  that  the  name  was  that  of  some 
house  or  inn  at  which  the  writer  was  staying." 

Inspector  Martin  and  I  had  listened  with  the  utmost  interest 
to  the  full  and  clear  account  of  how  my  friend  had  produced 
results  which  had  led  to  so  complete  a  command  over  our  diffi- 
culties. 

"  What  did  you  do  then,  sir  ?  "  asked  the  inspector. 

"  I  had  every  reason  to  suppose  that  this  Abe  Slaney  was  an 
American,  since  Abe  is  an  American  contraction,  and  since  a 
letter  from  America  had  been  the  starting-point  of  all  the  trou- 
ble. I  had  also  every  cause  to  think  that  there  was  some 
criminal  secret  in  the  matter.  The  lady's  allusions  to  her  past, 
and  her  refusal  to  take  her  husband  into  her  confidence,  both 
pointed  in  that  direction.  I  therefore  cabled  to  my  friend, 
Wilson  Hargreave,  of  the  New  York  Police  Bureau,  who  has 
more  than  once  made  use  of  my  knowledge  of  London  crime. 
I  asked  him  whether  the  name  of  Abe  Slaney  was  known  to 
him.  Here  is  his  reply:  'The  most  dangerous  crook  in 
Chicago.'  On  the  very  evening  upon  which  I  had  his  answer, 
Hilton  Cubitt  sent  me  the  last  message  from  Slaney.  Working 
with  known  letters,  it  took  this  form: — 

ELSIE  .  RE  .  ARE  TO  MEET  THY  GO  . 

The  addition  of  a  P  and  a  D  completed  a  message  which  showed 
me  that  the  rascal  was  proceeding  from  persuasion  to  threats, 
and  my  knowledge  of  the  crooks  of  Chicago  prepared  me  to 
find  that  he  might  very  rapidly  put  his  words  into  action.  I  at 
once  came  to  Norfolk  with  my  friend  and  colleague,  Dr.  Wat- 
son, but,  unhappily,  only  in  time  to  find  that  the  worst  had 
already  occurred." 

"  It  is  a  privilege  to  be  associated  with  you  in  the  handling 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN      87 

of  a  case,"  said  the  inspector,  warmly.  "  You  will  excuse  me, 
however,  if  I  speak  frankly  to  you.  You  are  only  answerable 
to  yourself,  but  I  have  to  answer  to  my  superiors.  If  this  Abe 
Slaney,  living  at  Elrige's,  is  indeed  the  murderer,  and  if  he  has 
made  his  escape  while  I  am  seated  here,  I  should  certainly  get 
into  serious  trouble." 

"  You  need  not  be  uneasy.     He  will  not  try  to  escape." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  To  fly  would  be  a  confession  of  guilt.'* 

"  Then  let  us  go  to  arrest  him." 

"  I  expect  him  here  every  instant." 

"  But  why  should  he  come  ?  " 

"  Because  I  have  written  and  asked  him.'* 

"  But  this  is  incredible,  Mr.  Holmes !  Why  should  he  come 
because  you  have  asked  him?  Would  not  such  a  request 
rather  rouse  his  suspicions  and  cause  him  to  fly  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  have  known  how  to  frame  the  letter,"  said  Sherlock 
Holmes.  "In  fact,  if  I  am  not  very  much  mistaken,  here  is 
the  gentleman  himself  coming  up  the  drive." 

A  man  was  striding  up  the  path  which  led  to  the  door.  He 
was  a  tall,  handsome,  swarthy  fellow,  clad  in  a  suit  of  grey 
flannel,  with  a  Panama  hat,  a  bristling  black  beard,  and  a 
great,  aggressive  hooked  nose,  and  flourishing  a  cane  as  he 
walked.  He  swaggered  up  the  path  as  if  the  place  belonged 
to  him,  and  we  heard  his  loud,  confident  peal  at  the  bell. 

"  I  think,  gentlemen,"  said  Holmes,  quietly,  "  that  we  had 
best  take  up  our  position  behind  the  door.  Every  precaution 
is  necessary  when  dealing  with  such  a  fellow.  You  will  need 
your  handcuffs,  Inspector.  You  can  leave  the  talking  to  me." 

We  waited  in  silence  for  a  minute  —  one  of  those  minutes 
which  one  can  never  forget.  Then  the  door  opened  and  the 


88        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

man  stepped  in.  In  an  instant  Holmes  clapped  a  pistol  to  his 
head,  and  Martin  slipped  the  handcuffs  over  his  wrists.  It 
was  all  done  so  swiftly  and  deftly  that  the  fellow  was  helpless 
before  he  knew  that  he  was  attacked.  He  glared  from  one  to 
the  other  of  us  with  a  pair  of  blazing  black  eyes.  Then  he 
burst  into  a  bitter  laugh. 

"Well,  gentlemen,  you  have  the  drop  on  me  this  time.  I 
seem  to  have  knocked  up  against  something  hard.  But  I 
came  here  in  answer  to  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Hilton  Cubitt.  Don't 
tell  me  that  she  is  in  this  ?  Don't  tell  me  that  she  helped  to 
set  a  trap  for  me  ?  " 

"  Mrs.  Hilton  Cubitt  was  seriously  injured,  and  is  at  death's 
door." 

The  man  gave  a  hoarse  cry  of  grief,  which  rang  through  the 
house. 

"You're  crazy!"  he  cried,  fiercely.  "It  was  he  that  was 
hurt,  not  she.  Who  would  have  hurt  little  Elsie  ?  I  may  have 
threatened  her  —  God  forgive  me !  —  but  I  would  not  hare 
touched  a  hair  of  her  pretty  head.  Take  it  back  —  you !  Say 
that  she  is  not  hurt!  " 

"  She  was  found,  badly  wounded,  by  the  side  of  her  dead 
husband." 

He  sank  with  a  deep  groan  on  to  the  settee,  and  buried  his 
face  in  his  manacled  hands.  For  five  minutes  he  was  silent. 
Then  he  raised  his  face  once  more,  and  spoke  with  the  cold 
composure  of  despair. 

"I  have  nothing  to  hide  from  you,  gentlemen,"  said  he. 
"  If  I  shot  the  man  he  had  his  shot  at  me,  and  there's  no  murder 
in  that.  But  if  you  think  I  could  have  hurt  that  woman,  then 
you  don't  know  either  me  or  her.  I  tell  you,  there  was  never 
a  man  in  this  world  loved  a  woman  more  than  I  loved  her.  I 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  89 

had  a  right  to  her.  She  was  pledged  to  me  years  ago.  Who 
was  this  Englishman  that  he  should  come  between  us  ?  I  tell 
you  that  I  had  the  first  right  to  her,  and  that  I  was  only  claim- 
ing my  own." 

"She  broke  away  from  your  influence  when  she  found  the 
man  that  you  are,"  said  Holmes,  sternly.  "She  fled  from 
America  to  avoid  you,  and  she  married  an  honourable  gentle- 
man in  England.  You  dogged  her  and  followed  her  and  made 
her  life  a  misery  to  her,  in  order  to  induce  her  to  abandon  the 
husband  whom  she  loved  and  respected  in  order  to  fly  with  you, 
whom  she  feared  and  hated.  You  have  ended  by  bringing 
about  the  death  of  a  noble  man  and  driving  his  wife  to  suicide. 
That  is  your  record  in  this  business,  Mr.  Abe  Slaney,  and  you 
will  answer  for  it  to  the  law." 

"  If  Elsie  dies,  I  care  nothing  what  becomes  of  me,"  said  the 
American.  He  opened  one  of  his  hands,  and  looked  at  a  note 
crumpled  up  in  his  palm.  "  See  here,  mister,"  he  cried,  with 
a  gleam  of  suspicion  in  his  eyes,  "  you're  not  trying  to  scare  me 
over  this,  are  you  ?  If  the  lady  is  hurt  as  bad  as  you  say,  who 
was  it  that  wrote  this  note  ?  "  He  tossed  it  forwards  on  to  the 
table. 

"  I  wrote  it,  to  bring  you  here." 

"You  wrote  it?  There  was  no  one  on  earth  outside  the 
Joint  who  knew  the  secret  of  the  dancing  men.  How  came 
you  to  write  it  ?  " 

"What  one  man  can  invent  another  can  discover,"  said 
Holmes.  "  There  is  a  cab  coming  to  convey  you  to  Norwich, 
Mr.  Slaney.  But,  meanwhile,  you  have  time  to  make  some 
small  reparation  for  the  injury  you  have  wrought.  Are  you 
aware  that  Mrs.  Hilton  Cubitt  has  herself  lain  under  grave 
suspicion  of  the  murder  of  her  husband,  and  that  it  was  only 


90       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

my  presence  here,  and  the  knowledge  which  I  happened  to 
possess,  which  has  saved  her  from  the  accusation  ?  The  least 
that  you  owe  her  is  to  make  it  clear  to  the  whole  world  that 
she  was  in  no  way,  directly  or  indirectly,  responsible  for  his 
tragic  end." 

"I  ask  nothing  better,"  said  the  American.  "I  guess  the 
very  best  case  I  can  make  for  myself  is  the  absolute  naked 
truth." 

"  It  is  my  duty  to  warn  you  that  it  will  be  used  against  you," 
cried  the  inspector,  with  the  magnificent  fair-play  of  the  British 
criminal  law. 

Slaney  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

*'  I'll  chance  that,"  said  he.  "  First  of  all,  I  want  you  gentle- 
men to  understand  that  I  have  known  this  lady  since  she  was 
a  child.  There  were  seven  of  us  in  a  gang  in  Chicago,  and 
Elsie's  father  was  the  boss  of  the  Joint.  He  was  a  clever  man, 
was  old  Patrick.  It  was  he  who  invented  that  writing,  which 
would  pass  as  a  child's  scrawl  unless  you  just  happened  to 
have  the  key  to  it.  Well,  Elsie  learned  some  of  our  ways,  but 
she  couldn't  stand  the  business,  and  she  had  a  bit  of  honest 
money  of  her  own,  so  she  gave  us  all  the  slip  and  got  away  to 
London.  She  had  been  engaged  to  me,  and  she  would  have 
married  me,  I  believe,  if  I  had  taken  over  another  profession, 
but  she  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  anything  on  the  cross. 
It  was  only  after  her  marriage  to  this  Englishman  that  I  was 
able  to  find  out  where  she  was.  I  wrote  to  her,  but  got  no 
answer.  After  that  I  came  over,  and,  as  letters  were  no  use, 
I  put  my  messages  where  she  could  read  them. 

"  Well,  I  have  been  here  a  month  now.  I  lived  in  that  farm, 
where  I  had  a  room  down  below,  and  could  get  in  and  out  every 
night,  and  no  one  the  wiser.  I  tried  all  I  could  to  coax  Elsie 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  DANCING  MEN  91 

away.  I  knew  that  she  read  the  messages,  for  once  she  wrote 
an  answer  under  one  of  them.  Then  my  temper  got  the  better 
of  me,  and  I  began  to  threaten  her.  She  sent  me  a  letter  then, 
imploring  me  to  go  away,  and  saying  that  it  would  break  her 
heart  if  any  scandal  should  come  upon  her  husband.  She  said 
that  she  would  come  down  when  her  husband  was  asleep  at 
three  in  the  morning,  and  speak  with  me  through  the  end  win- 
dow, if  I  would  go  away  afterwards  and  leave  her  in  peace. 
She  came  down  and  brought  money  with  her,  trying  to  bribe 
me  to  go.  This  made  me  mad,  and  I  caught  her  arm  and 
tried  to  pull  her  through  the  window.  At  that  moment  in 
rushed  the  husband  with  his  revolver  in  his  hand.  Elsie  had 
sunk  down  upon  the  floor,  and  we  were  face  to  face.  I  was 
heeled  also,  and  I  held  up  my  gun  to  scare  him  off  and  let  me 
get  away.  He  fired  and  missed  me.  I  pulled  off  almost  at  the 
same  instant,  and  down  he  dropped.  I  made  away  across  the 
garden,  and  as  I  went  I  heard  the  window  shut  behind  me. 
That's  God's  truth,  gentlemen,  every  word  of  it;  and  I  heard 
no  more  about  it  until  that  lad  came  riding  up  with  a  note 
which  made  me  walk  in  here,  like  a  jay,  and  give  myself  into 
your  hands." 

A  cab  had  driven  up  whilst  the  American  had  been  talking. 
Two  uniformed  policemen  sat  inside.  Inspector  Martin  rose 
and  touched  his  prisoner  on  the  shoulder. 

"  It  is  time  for  us  to  go." 

"Can  I  see  her  first?" 

"No,  she  is  not  conscious.  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  I  only 
hope  that,  if  ever  again  I  have  an  important  case,  I  shall  have 
the  good  fortune  to  have  you  by  my  side." 

We  stood  at  the  window  and  watched  the  cab  drive  away. 
As  I  turned  back,  my  eye  caught  the  pellet  of  paper  which  the 


92        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

prisoner  had  tossed  upon  the  table.     It  was  the  note  with 
which  Holmes  had  decoyed  him. 

"  See  if  you  can  read  it,  Watson,"  said  he,  with  a  smile. 

It  contained  no  word,  but  this  little  line  of  dancing  men  :  — 


"  If  you  use  the  code  which  I  have  explained,"  said  Holmes, 
"you  will  find  that  it  simply  means  'Come  here  at  once.'  I 
was  convinced  that  it  was  an  invitation  which  he  would  not 
refuse,  since  he  could  never  imagine  that  it  could  come  from 
anyone  but  the  lady.  And  so,  my  dear  Watson,  we  have 
ended  by  turning  the  dancing  men  to  good  when  they  have  so 
often  been  the  agents  of  evil,  and  I  think  that  I  have  fulfilled 
my  promise  of  giving  you  something  unusual  for  your  note- 
book. Three-forty  is  our  train,  and  I  fancy  we  should  be  back 
in  Baker  Street  for  dinner. 

Only  one  word  of  epilogue.  The  American,  Abe  Slaney, 
was  condemned  to  death  at  the  winter  assizes  at  Norwich,  but 
his  penalty  was  changed  to  penal  servitude  in  consideration  of 
mitigating  circumstances,  and  the  certainty  that  Hilton  Cubitt 
had  fired  the  first  shot.  Of  Mrs.  Hilton  Cubitt  I  only  know 
that  I  have  heard  she  recovered  entirely,  and  that  she  still 
remains  a  widow,  devoting  her  whole  life  to  the  care  of  the  poor 
and  to  the  administration  of  her  husband's  estate. 


IV 

THE   ADVENTURE   OF 
THE  SOLITARY   CYCLIST 

F  ROM  the  years  1894  to  1901  inclusive,  Mr.  Sherlock 
Holmes  was  a  very  busy  man.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  was  no 
public  case  of  any  difficulty  in  which  he  was  not  consulted  during 
those  eight  years,  and  there  were  hundreds  of  private  cases,  some 
of  them  of  the  most  intricate  and  extraordinary  character,  in 
which  he  played  a  prominent  part.  Many  startling  successes 
and  a  few  unavoidable  failures  were  the  outcome  of  this  long 
period  of  continuous  work.  As  I  have  preserved  very  full  notes  of 
all  these  cases,  and  was  myself  personally  engaged  in  many  of 
them,  it  may  be  imagined  that  it  is  no  easy  task  to  know  which  I 
should  select  to  lay  before  the  public.  I  shall,  however,  preserve 
my  former  rule,  and  give  the  preference  to  those  cases  which  de- 
rive their  interest  not  so  much  from  the  brutality  of  the  crime  as 
from  the  ingenuity  and  dramatic  quality  of  the  solution.  For 
this  reason  I  will  now  lay  before  the  reader  the  facts  connected 
with  Miss  Violet  Smith,  the  solitary  cyclist  of  Charlington,  and 
the  curious  sequel  of  our  investigation,  which  culminated  in 
unexpected  tragedy.  It  is  true  that  the  circumstance  did  not  ad- 
mit of  any  striking  illustration  of  those  powers  for  which  my 
friend  was  famous,  but  there  were  some  points  about  the  case 


94  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

which  made  it  stand  out  in  those  long  records  of  crime  from 
which  I  gather  the  material  for  these  little  narratives. 

On  referring  to  my  note-book  for  the  year  1895,  I  find  that  it 
was  upon  Saturday,  the  23rd  of  April,  that  we  first  heard  of  Miss 
Violet  Smith.  Her  visit  was,  I  remember,  extremely  unwelcome 
to  Holmes,  for  he  was  immersed  at  the  moment  in  a  very  ab- 
struse and  complicated  problem  concerning  the  peculiar  perse- 
cution to  which  John  Vincent  Harden,  the  well-known  tobacco 
millionaire  had  been  subjected.  My  friend,  who  loved  above  all 
things  precision  and  concentration  of  thought,  resented  anything 
which  distracted  his  attention  from  the  matter  in  hand.  And 
yet,  without  a  harshness  which  was  foreign  to  his  nature,  it  was 
impossible  to  refuse  to  listen  to  the  story  of  the  young  and  beau- 
tiful woman,  tall,  graceful,  and  queenly,  who  presented  herself 
at  Baker  Street  late  in  the  evening,  and  implored  his  assistance 
and  advice.  It  was  vain  to  urge  that  his  time  was  already  fully 
occupied,  for  the  young  lady  had  come  with  the  determination 
to  tell  her  story,  and  it  was  evident  that  nothing  short  of  force 
could  get  her  out  of  the  room  until  she  had  done  so.  With  a 
resigned  air  and  a  somewhat  weary  smile,  Holmes  begged  the 
beautiful  intruder  to  take  a  seat,  and  to  inform  us  what  it  was 
that  was  troubling  her. 

"At  least  it  cannot  be  your  health,"  said  he,  as  his  keen 
eyes  darted  over  her;  "so  ardent  a  bicyclist  must  be  full 
of  energy. " 

She  glanced  down  in  surprise  at  her  own  feet,  and  I  observed 
the  slight  roughening  of  the  side  of  the  sole  caused  by  the  friction 
of  the  edge  of  the  pedal. 

"  Yes,  I  bicycle  a  good  deal,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  that  has  some- 
thing to  do  with  my  visit  to  you  to-day.  " 

My  friend  took  the  lady's  ungloved  hand,  and  examined  it  with 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST          95 

as  close  an  attention  and  as  little  sentiment  as  a  scientist  would 
show  to  a  specimen. 

"  You  will  excuse  me,  I  am  sure.  It  is  my  business, "  said  he, 
as  he  dropped  it.  "  I  nearly  fell  into  the  error  of  supposing  that 
you  were  typewriting.  Of  course,  it  is  obvious  that  it  is  music. 
You  observe  the  spatulate  finger-ends,  Watson,  which  is  com- 
mon to  both  professions  ?  There  is  a  spirituality  about  the  face, 
however  "  —  she  gently  turned  it  towards  the  light  —  "  which 
the  typewriter  does  not  generate.  This  lady  is  a  musician. " 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  teach  music. " 

"  In  the  country,  I  presume,  from  your  complexion. " 

"  Yes,  sir,  near  Farnham,  on  the  borders  of  Surrey. " 

"  A  beautiful  neighbourhood,  and  full  of  the  most  interesting 
associations.  You  remember,  Watson,  that  it  was  near  there  that 
we  took  Archie  Stamford,  the  forger.  Now,  Miss  Violet,  what 
has  happened  to  you,  near  Farnham,  on  the  borders  of  Surrey  ?  " 

The  young  lady,  with  great  clearness  and  composure,  made 
the  following  curious  statement : — 

"  My  father  is  dead,  Mr.  Holmes.  He  was  James  Smith,  who 
conducted  the  orchestra  at  the  old  Imperial  Theatre.  My 
mother  and  I  were  left  without  a  relation  in  the  world  except  one 
uncle,  Ralph  Smith,  who  went  to  Africa  twenty-five  years  ago, 
and  we  have  never  had  a  word  from  him  since.  When  father 
died,  we  were  left  very  poor,  but  one  day  we  were  told  that  there 
was  an  advertisement  in  the  Times,  inquiring  for  our  where- 
abouts. You  can  imagine  how  excited  we  were,  for  we  thought 
that  some  one  had  left  us  a  fortune.  We  went  at  once  to  the 
lawyer  whose  name  was  given  in  the  paper.  There  we  met 
two  gentlemen,  Mr.  Carruthers  and  Mr.  Woodley,  who  were 
home  on  a  visit  from  South  Africa.  They  said  that  my  uncle 
was  a  friend  of  theirs,  that  he  had  died  some  months  before 


96        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

in  great  poverty  in  Johannesburg,  and  that  he  had  asked  them 
with  his  last  breath  to  hunt  up  his  relations,  and  see  that  they 
were  in  no  want.  It  seemed  strange  to  us  that  Uncle  Ralph, 
who  took  no  notice  of  us  when  he  was  alive,  should  be  so  careful 
to  look  after  us  when  he  was  dead,  but  Mr.  Carruthers  ex- 
plained that  the  reason  was  that  my  uncle  had  just  heard  of  the 
death  of  his  brother,  and  so  felt  responsible  for  our  fate. " 

"  Excuse  me, "  said  Holmes.    "  When  was  this  interview  ?  " 

"  Last  December  —  four  months  ago. " 

"Pray  proceed." 

i{  Mr.  Woodley  seemed  to  me  to  be  a  most  odious  person.  He 
was  for  ever  making  eyes  at  me  —  a  coarse,  puffy-faced,  red- 
moustached  young  man,  with  his  hair  plastered  down  on  each 
side  of  his  forehead.  I  thought  that  he  was  perfectly  hateful  — 
and  I  was  sure  that  Cyril  would  not  wish  me  to  know  such  a 
person. " 

"  Oh,  Cyril  is  his  name ! "  said  Holmes,  smiling. 

The  young  lady  blushed  and  laughed. 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Holmes,  Cyril  Morton,  an  electrical  engineer,  and 
we  hope  to  be  married  at  the  end  of  the  summer.  Dear  me,  how 
did  I  get  talking  about  him  ?  What  I  wished  to  say  was  that  Mr. 
Woodley  was  perfectly  odious,  but  that  Mr.  Carruthers,  who  was 
a  much  older  man,  was  more  agreeable.  He  was  a  dark,  sallow, 
clean-shaven,  silent  person,  but  he  had  polite  manners  and  a 
pleasant  smile.  He  inquired  how  we  were  left,  and  on  finding 
that  we  were  very  poor,  he  suggested  that  I  should  come  and  teach 
music  to  his  only  daughter,  aged  ten.  I  said  that  I  did  not  like 
to  leave  my  mother,  on  which  he  suggested  that  I  should  go  home 
to  her  every  week-end,  and  he  offered  me  a  hundred  a  year, 
which  was  certainly  splendid  pay.  So  it  ended  by  my  accepting, 
and  I  went  down  to  Chiltern  Grange,  about  six  miles  from  Farn- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST          OT 

ham.  Mr.  Carruthers  was  a  widower,  but  he  had  engaged  a 
lady  housekeeper,  a  very  respectable,  elderly  person,  called  Mrs. 
Dixon,  to  look  after  his  establishment.  The  child  was  a  dear, 
and  everything  promised  well.  Mr.  Carruthers  was  very  kind 
and  very  musical,  and  we  had  most  pleasant  evenings  together. 
Every  week-end  I  went  home  to  my  mother  in  town. 

"The  first  flaw  in  my  happiness  was  the  arrival  of  the  red- 
moustached  Mr.  Woodley.  He  came  for  a  visit  of  a  week,  and 
oh !  it  seemed  three  months  to  me.  He  was  a  dreadful  person — a 
bully  to  everyone  else,  but  to  me  something  infinitely  worse.  He 
made  odious  love  to  me,  boasted  of  his  wealth,'  said  that  if  I  mar- 
ried him  I  could  have  the  finest  diamonds  in  London,  and  finally 
when  I  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him,  he  seized  me  in  his 
arms  one  day  after  dinner  —  he  was  hideously  strong  —  and 
swore  that  he  would  not  let  me  go  until  I  had  kissed  him.  Mr. 
Carruthers  came  in  and  tore  him  from  me,  on  which  he  turned 
upon  his  own  host,  knocking  him  down  and  cutting  his  face  open. 
That  was  the  end  of  his  visit,  as  you  can  imagine.  Mr.  Carruth- 
ers  apologized  to  me  next  day,  and  assured  me  that  I  should 
never  be  exposed  to  such  an  insult  again.  I  have  not  seen  Mr. 
Woodley  since. 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  come  at  last  to  the  special  thing 
which  has  caused  me  to  ask  your  advice  to-day.  You  must  know 
that  every  Saturday  forenoon  I  ride  on  my  bicycle  to  Farnham 
Station,  in  order  to  get  the  12.22  to  Town.  The  road  from  Chil- 
tern  Grange  is  a  lonely  one,  and  at  one  spot  it  is  particularly  so, 
for  it  lies  for  over  a  mile  between  Charlington  Heath  upon  one 
side  and  the  woods  which  lie  round  Charlington  Hall  upon  the 
other.  You  could  not  find  a  more  lonely  tract  of  road  anywhere, 
and  it  is  quite  rare  to  meet  so  much  as  a  cart,  or  a  peasant,  until 
you  reach  the  high  road  near  Crooksbury  Hill.  Two  weeks  ago 


98        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

I  was  passing  this  place,  when  I  chanced  to  look  back  over  my 
shoulder,  and  about  two  hundred  yards  behind  me  I  saw  a  man, 
also  on  a  bicycle.  He  seemed  to  be  a  middle-aged  man,  with  a 
short,  dark  beard.  I  looked  back  before  I  reached  Farnham, 
but  the  man  was  gone,  so  I  thought  no  more  about  it.  But  you 
can  imagine  how  surprised  I  was,  Mr.  Holmes,  when,  on  my 
return  on  the  Monday,  I  saw  the  same  man  on  the  same  stretch 
of  road.  My  astonishment  was  increased  when  the  incident 
occurred  again,  exactly  as  before,  on  the  following  Saturday  and 
Monday.  He  always  kept  his  distance  and  did  not  molest  me  in 
any  way,  but  still  it  certainly  was  very  odd.  I  mentioned  it  to 
Mr.  Carruthers,  who  seemed  interested  in  what  I  said,  and  told 
me  that  he  had  ordered  a  horse  and  trap,  so  that  in  future  I 
should  not  pass  over  these  lonely  roads  without  some  companion. 
"The  horse  and  trap  were  to  have  come  this  week,  but  for 
some  reason  they  were  not  delivered,  and  again  I  had  to  cycle  to 
the  station.  That  was  this  morning.  You  can  think  that  I 
looked  out  when  I  came  to  Charlington  Heath,  and  there,  sure 
enough,  was  the  man,  exactly  as  he  had  been  the  two  weeks  be- 
fore. He  always  kept  so  far  from  me  that  I  could  not  clearly 
see  his  face,  but  it  was  certainly  someone  whom  I  did  not  know. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  dark  suit  with  a  cloth  cap.  The  only 
thing  about  his  face  that  I  could  clearly  see  was  his  dark  beard. 
To-day  I  was  not  alarmed,  but  I  was  filled  with  curiosity,  and  I 
determined  to  find  out  who  he  was  and  what  he  wanted.  I 
slowed  down  my  machine,  but  he  slowed  down  his.  Then  I 
stopped  altogether,  but  he  stopped  also.  Then  I  laid  a  trap  for 
him.  There  is  a  sharp  turning  of  the  road,  and  I  pedalled  very 
quickly  round  this,  and  then  I  stopped  and  waited.  I  expected 
him  to  shoot  round  and  pass  me  before  he  could  stop.  But  he 
never  appeared.  Then  I  went  back  and  looked  round  the 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST          99 

corner.  I  could  see  a  mile  of  road,  but  he  was  not  on  it.  To 
make  it  the  more  extraordinary,  there  was  no  side  road  at  this 
point  down  which  he  could  have  gone. " 

Holmes  chuckled  and  rubbed  his  hands.  "This  case  cer- 
tainly presents  some  features  of  its  own, "  said  he.  "  How  much 
time  elapsed  between  your  turning  the  corner  and  your  discov- 
ery that  the  road  was  clear  ?  " 

"  Two  or  three  minutes. " 

"  Then  he  could  not  have  retreated  down  the  road,  and  you 
say  that  there  are  no  side  roads  ?  " 

"None." 

"Then  he  certainly  took  a  footpath  on  one  side  or  the 
other." 

"  It  could  not  have  been  on  the  side  of  the  heath,  or  I  should 
have  seen  him. " 

"  So,  by  the  process  of  exclusion,  we  arrive  at  the  fact  that  he 
made  his  way  toward  Charlington  Hall,  which,  as  I  understand, 
is  situated  in  its  own  grounds  on  one  side  of  the  road.  Anything 
else?" 

"Nothing,  Mr.  Holmes,  save  that  I  was  so  perplexed  that  I 
felt  I  should  not  be  happy  until  I  had  seen  you  and  had  your 
advice. " 

Holmes  sat  in  silence  for  some  little  time. 

"Where  is  the  gentleman  to  whom  you  are  engaged?"  he 
asked  at  last. 

"  He  is  in  the  Midland  Electrical  Company,  at  Coventry. " 

"  He  would  not  pay  you  a  surprise  visit  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Holmes !    As  if  I  should  not  know  him ! " 

"  Have  you  had  any  other  admirers  ?  " 

"  Several  before  I  knew  Cyril. " 

"And  since?" 


100       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  There  was  this  dreadful  man,  Woodley,  if  you  can  call  him 
an  admirer. " 

"No  one  else?" 

Our  fair  client  seemed  a  little  confused. 

"  Who  was  he  ?  "  asked  Holmes. 

"  Oh,  it  may  be  a  mere  fancy  of  mine;  but  it  had  seemed  to  me 
sometimes  that  my  employer,  Mr.  Carruthers,  takes  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  me.  We  are  thrown  rather  together.  I  play  his 
accompaniments  in  the  evening.  He  has  never  said  anything. 
He  is  a  perfect  gentleman.  But  a  girl  always  knows. " 

"  Ha ! "  Holmes  looked  grave.  "  What  does  he  do  for  a 
living  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  rich  man. " 

"  No  carriages  or  horses  ?  " 

"  Well,  at  least  he  is  fairly  well-to-do.  But  he  goes  into  the 
city  two  or  three  times  a  week.  He  is  deeply  interested  in  South 
African  gold  shares. " 

"  You  will  let  me  know  any  fresh  development,  Miss  Smith.  I 
am  very  busy  just  now,  but  I  will  find  time  to  make  some  inqui- 
ries into  your  case.  In  the  meantime,  take  no  step  without  let- 
ing  me  know.  Good-bye,  and  I  trust  that  we  shall  have  nothing 
but  good  news  from  you. " 

"  It  is  part  of  the  settled  order  of  Nature  that  such  a  girl  should 
have  followers, "  said  Holmes,  as  he  pulled  at  his  meditative 
pipe,  "but  for  choice  not  on  bicycles  in  lonely  country  roads. 
Some  secretive  lover,  beyond  all  doubt.  But  there  are  curious 
and  suggestive  details  about  the  case,  Watson. " 

"  That  he  should  appear  only  at  that  point  ?  " 

"  Exactly.  Our  first  effort  must  be  to  find  who  are  the  tenants 
of  Charlington  Hall.  Then,  again,  how  about  the  connection 
between  Carruthers  and  Woodley,  since  they  appear  to  be  men 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST         101 

of  such  a  different  type  ?  How  came  they  both  to  be  so  keen 
upon  looking  up  Ralph  Smith's  relations?  One  more  point. 
What  sort  of  a  menage  is  it  which  pays  double  the  market  price 
for  a  governess,  but  does  not  keep  a  horse,  although  six  miles 
from  the  station  ?  Odd,  Watson  —  very  odd ! " 

"  You  will  go  down  ?  " 

"  No,  my  dear  fellow,  you  will  go  down.  This  may  be  some 
trifling  intrigue,  and  I  cannot  break  my  other  important  research 
for  the  sake  of  it.  On  Monday  you  will  arrive  early  at  Farnham ; 
you  will  conceal  yourself  near  Charlington  Heath;  you  will  ob- 
serve these  facts  for  yourself,  and  act  as  your  own  judgment  ad- 
vises. Then,  having  inquired  as  to  the  occupants  of  the  Hall, 
you  will  come  back  to  me  and  report.  And  now,  Watson, 
not  another  word  of  the  matter  until  we  have  a  few  solid 
stepping-stones  on  which  we  may  hope  to  get  across  to  our 
solution. " 

We  had  ascertained  from  the  lady  that  she  went  down  upon  the 
Monday  by  the  train  which  leaves  Waterloo  at  9.50,  so  I  started 
early  and  caught  the  9.13.  At  Farnham  Station  I  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  being  directed  to  Charlington  Heath.  It  was  impossible 
to  mistake  the  scene  of  the  young  lady's  adventure,  for  the  road 
runs  between  the  open  heath  on  one  side  and  an  old  yew  hedge 
upon  the  other,  surrounding  a  park  which  is  studded  with  mag- 
nificent trees.  There  was  a  main  gateway  of  lichen-studded 
stone,  each  side  pillar  surmounted  by  mouldering  heraldic  em- 
blems, but  besides  this  central  carriage  drive  I  observed  several 
points  where  there  were  gaps  in  the  hedge,  and  paths  leading 
through  them.  The  house  was  invisible  from  the  road,  but  the 
surroundings  all  spoke  of  gloom  and  decay. 

The  heath  was  covered  with  golden  patches  of  flowering  gorse, 
gleaming  magnificently  in  the  light  of  the  bright  spring  sunshine. 


102       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Behind  one  of  these  clumps  I  took  up  my  position,  so  as  to  com- 
mand both  the  gateway  of  the  Hall  and  a  long  stretch  of  the  road 
upon  either  side.  It  had  been  deserted  when  I  left  it,  but  now  I 
saw  a  cyclist  riding  down  it  from  the  opposite  direction  to  that 
in  which  I  had  come.  He  was  clad  in  a  dark  suit,  and  I  saw  that 
he  had  a  black  beard.  On  reaching  the  end  of  the  Charlington 
grounds,  he  sprang  from  his  machine  and  led  it  through  a  gap  in 
the  hedge,  disappearing  from  my  view. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  passed,  and  then  a  second  cyclist  ap- 
peared. This  time  it  was  the  young  lady  coming  from  the  sta- 
tion. I  saw  her  look  about  her  as  she  came  to  the  Charlington 
hedge.  An  instant  later  the  man  emerged  from  his  hiding-place, 
sprang  upon  his  cycle,  and  followed  her.  In  all  the  broad  land- 
scape those  were  the  only  moving  figures,  the  graceful  girl  sitting 
very  straight  upon  her  machine,  and  the  man  behind  her  bend- 
ing low  over  his  handle-bar  with  a  curiously  furtive  suggestion  in 
every  movement.  She  looked  back  at  him  and  slowed  her  pace. 
He  slowed  also.  She  stopped.  He  at  once  stopped,  too,  keep- 
ing two  hundred  yards  behind  her.  Her  next  movement  was  as 
unexpected  as  it  was  spirited.  She  suddenly  whisked  her  wheels 
round  and  dashed  straight  at  him.  He  was  as  quick  as  she,  how- 
ever, and  darted  off  in  desperate  flight.  Presently  she  came  back 
up  the  road  again,  her  head  haughtily  in  the  air,  not  deigning  to 
take  any  further  notice  of  her  silent  attendant.  He  had  turned 
also,  and  still  kept  his  distance  until  the  curve  of  the  road  hid 
them  from  my  sight. 

I  remained  in  my  hiding-place,  and  it  was  well  that  I  did  so, 
for  presently  the  man  reappeared,  cycling  slowly  back.  He 
turned  in  at  the  Hall  gates,  and  dismounted  from  his  machine. 
For  some  minutes  I  could  see  him  standing  among  the  trees.  His 
hands  were  raised,  and  he  seemed  to  be  settling  his  necktie.  Then 


103 

he  mounted  his  cycle,  and  rode  away  from  me  down  the  drive 
towards  the  hall.  I  ran  across  the  heath  and  peered  through  the 
trees.  Far  away  I  could  catch  glimpses  of  the  old  grey  building 
with  its  bristling  Tudor  chimneys,  but  the  drive  ran  through  a 
dense  shrubbery,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  my  man. 

However,  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  had  done  a  fairly  good  morn- 
ing's work,  and  I  walked  back  in  high  spirits  to  Farnham.  The 
local  house  agent  could  tell  me  nothing  about  Charlington  Hall, 
and  referred  me  to  a  well-known  firm  in  Pall  Mall.  There  I 
halted  on  my  way  home,  and  met  with  courtesy  from  the  repre- 
sentative. No,  I  could  not  have  Charlington  Hall  for  the  sum- 
mer. I  was  just  too  late.  It  had  been  let  about  a  month  ago. 
Mr.  Williamson  was  the  name  of  the  tenant.  He  was  a  respect- 
able, elderly  gentleman.  The  polite  agent  was  afraid  he  could 
say  no  more,  as  the  affairs  of  his  clients  were  not  matters  which 
he  could  discuss. 

Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  listened  with  attention  to  the  long  report 
which  I  was  able  to  present  to  him  that  evening,  but  it  did  not 
elicit  that  word  of  curt  praise  which  I  had  hoped  for,  and  should 
have  valued.  On  the  contrary,  his  austere  face  was  even  more 
severe  than  usual  as  he  commented  upon  the  things  that  I  had 
done  and  the  things  that  I  had  not. 

"  Your  hiding-place,  my  dear  Watson,  was  very  faulty.  You 
should  have  been  behind  the  hedge,  then  you  would  have  had 
a  close  view  of  this  interesting  person.  As  it  is,  you  were  some 
hundreds  of  yards  away,  and  can  tell  me  even  less  than  Miss 
Smith.  She  thinks  she  does  not  know  the  man;  I  am  convinced 
she  does.  Why,  otherwise,  should  he  be  so  desperately  anxious 
that  she  should  not  get  so  near  him  as  to  see  his  features  ?  You 
describe  him  as  bending  over  the  handle-bar.  Concealment 
again,  you  see.  You  really  have  done  remarkably  badly.  He 


104       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

returns  to  the  house,  and  you  want  to  find  out  who  he  is.  You 
come  to  a  London  house-agent ! " 

"  What  should  I  have  done  ?  "  I  cried,  with  some  heat. 

"Gone  to  the  nearest  public-house.  That  is  the  centre  of 
country  gossip.  They  would  have  told  you  every  name,  from 
the  master  to  the  scullery-maid.  Williamson  ?  It  conveys  noth- 
ing to  my  mind.  If  he  is  an  elderly  man  he  is  not  this  active 
cyclist,  who  sprints  away  from  that  young  lady's  athletic  pursuit. 
What  have  we  gained  by  your  expedition  ?  The  knowledge  that 
the  girl's  story  is  true.  I  never  doubted  it.  That  there  is  a  con- 
nection between  the  cyclist  and  the  Hall.  I  never  doubted  that 
either.  That  the  Hall  is  tenanted  by  Williamson.  Who's  the 
better  for  that  ?  Well,  well,  my  dear  sir,  don't  look  so  depressed. 
We  can  do  little  more  until  next  Saturday,  and  in  the  meantime 
I  may  make  one  or  two  inquiries  myself. " 

Next  morning,  we  had  a  note  from  Miss  Smith,  recounting 
shortly  and  accurately  the  very  incidents  which  I  had  seen,  but 
the  pith  of  the  letter  lay  in  the  postscript : — 

"  I  am  sure  that  you  will  respect  my  confidence,  Mr.  Holmes, 
when  I  tell  you  that  my  place  here  has  become  difficult, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  my  employer  has  proposed  marriage 
to  me.  I  am  convinced  that  his  feelings  are  most  deep  and 
most  honourable.  At  the  same  time,  my  promise  is  of  course 
given.  He  took  my  refusal  very  seriously,  but  also  very 
gently.  You  can  understand,  however,  that  the  situation  is 
a  little  strained." 

"Our  young  friend  seems  to  be  getting  into  deep  waters," 
said  Holmes,  thoughtfully,  as  he  finished  the  letter.  "  The  case 
certainly  presents  more  features  of  interest  and  more  possibility 
of  development  than  I  had  originally  thought.  I  should  be  none 
the  worse  for  a  quiet,  peaceful  day  in  the  country,  and  I  am  in- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST         105 

clined  to  run  down  this  afternoon  and  test  one  or  two  theories 
which  I  have  formed. " 

Holmes'  quiet  day  in  the  country  had  a  singular  termination, 
for  he  arrived  at  Baker  Street  late  in  the  evening,  with  a  cut  lip 
and  a  discoloured  lump  upon  his  forehead,  besides  a  general  air 
of  dissipation  which  would  have  made  his  own  person  the  fitting 
object  of  a  Scotland  Yard  investigation.  He  was  immensely 
tickled  by  his  own  adventures,  and  laughed  heartily  as  he  re- 
counted them. 

"  I  get  so  little  active  exercise  that  it  is  always  a  treat, "  said  he. 
"You  are  aware  that  I  have  some  proficiency  in  the  good  old 
British  sport  of  boxing.  Occasionally,  it  is  of  service;  to-day, 
for  example,  I  should  have  come  to  very  ignominious  grief  with- 
out it. " 

I  begged  him  to  tell  me  what  had  occurred'. 

"  I  found  that  country  pub  which  I  had  already  recommended 
to  your  notice,  and  there  I  made  my  discreet  inquiries.  I  was  in 
the  bar,  and  a  garrulous  landlord  was  giving  me  all  that  I 
wanted.  Williamson  is  a  white-bearded  man,  and  he  lives 
alone  with  a  small  staff  of  servants  at  the  Hall.  There  is  some 
rumour  that  he  is  or  has  been  a  clergyman,  but  one  or  two  inci- 
dents of  his  short  residence  at  the  Hall  struck  me  as  peculiarly  un- 
ecclesiastical.  I  have  already  made  some  inquiries  at  a  clerical 
agency,  and  they  tell  me  that  there  was  a  man  of  that  name  in 
orders,  whose  career  has  been  a  singularly  dark  one.  The  land- 
lord further  informed  me  that  there  are  usually  week-end  visi- 
tors— '  a  warm  lot,  sir ' — at  the  Hall,  and  especially  one  gentle- 
man with  a  red  moustache,  Mr.  Woodley  by  name,  who  was  al- 
ways there.  We  had  got  as  far  as  this,  when  who  should  walk  in 
but  the  gentleman  himself,  who  had  been  drinking  his  beer  in 
the  tap-room  and  had  heard  the  whole  conversation.  Who  was 


106  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

I  ?  What  did  I  want  ?  What  did  I  mean  by  asking  questions  ? 
He  had  a  fine  flow  of  language,  and  his  adjectives  were  very  vig- 
orous. He  ended  a  string  of  abuse  by  a  vicious  back-hander, 
which  I  failed  to  entirely  avoid.  The  next  few  minutes  were 
delicious.  It  was  a  straight  left  against  a  slogging  ruffian.  I 
emerged  as  you  see  me.  Mr.  Woodley  went  home  in  a  cart.  So 
ended  my  country  trip,  and  it  must  be  confessed  that,  however 
enjoyable,  my  day  on  the  Surrey  border  has  not  been  much  more 
profitable  than  your  own. " 

The  Thursday  brought  us  another  letter  from  our  client. 

"  You  will  not  be  surprised,  Mr.  Holmes, "  said  she,  "  to  hear 
that  I  am  leaving  Mr.  Carruthers'  employment.  Even  the  high 
pay  cannot  reconcile  me  to  the  discomforts  of  my  situation.  On 
Saturday  I  come  up  to  town,  and  I  do  not  intend  to  return.  Mr. 
Carruthers  has  got  a  trap,  and  so  the  dangers  of  the  lonely  road, 
if  there  ever  were  any  dangers,  are  now  over. 

"As  to  the  special  cause  of  my  leaving,  it  is  not  merely  the 
strained  situation  with  Mr.  Carruthers,  but  it  is  the  reappearance 
of  that  odious  man,  Mr.  Woodley.  He  was  always  hideous,  but 
he  looks  more  awful  than  ever  now,  for  he  appears  to  have  had 
an  accident,  and  he  is  much  disfigured.  I  saw  him  out  of  the  win- 
dow, but  I  am  glad  to  say  I  did  not  meet  him.  He  had  a  long 
talk  with  Mr.  Carruthers,  who  seemed  much  excited  afterwards. 
Woodley  must  be  staying  in  the  neighbourhood,  for  he  did  not 
sleep  here,  and  yet  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  him  again  this  morning, 
slinking  about  in  the  shrubbery.  I  would  sooner  have  a  savage 
wild  animal  loose  about  the  place.  I  loathe  and  fear  him  more 
than  I  can  say.  How  can  Mr.  Carruthers  endure  such  a  crea- 
ture for  a  moment  ?  However,  all  my  troubles  will  be  over  on 
Saturday. " 

"So  I  trust,  Watson,  so  I  trust,"   said   Holmes,  gravely. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST         107 

"  There  is  some  deep  intrigue  going  on  round  that  little  woman, 
and  it  is  our  duty  to  see  that  no  one  molests  her  upon  that  last 
journey.  I  think,  Watson,  that  we  must  spare  time  to  run  down 
together  on  Saturday  morning,  and  make  sure  that  this  curious 
and  inclusive  investigation  has  no  untoward  ending. " 

I  confess  that  I  had  not  up  to  now  taken  a  very  serious  view  of 
the  case,  which  had  seemed  to  me  rather  grotesque  and  bizarre 
than  dangerous.  That  a  man  should  lie  in  wait  for  and  follow 
a  very  handsome  woman  is  no  unheard-of  thing,  and  if  he  has  so 
little  audacity  that  he  not  only  dared  not  address  her,  but  even 
fled  from  her  approach,  he  was  not  a  very  formidable  assailant. 
The  ruffian  Woodley  was  a  very  different  person,  but,  except  on 
one  occasion,  he  had  not  molested  our  client,  and  now  he  visited 
the  house  of  Carruthers  without  intruding  upon  her  presence. 
The  man  on  the  bicycle  was  doubtless  a  member  of  those  week- 
end parties  at  the  Hall  of  which  the  publican  had  spoken,  but 
who  he  was,  or  what  he  wanted,  was  as  obscure  as  ever.  It  was 
the  severity  of  Holmes'  manner,  and  the  fact  that  he  slipped  a 
revolver  into  his  pocket,  before  leaving  our  rooms  which  im- 
pressed me  with  the  feeling  that  tragedy  might  prove  to  lurk 
behind  this  curious  train  of  events. 

A  rainy  night  had  been  followed  by  a  glorious  morning,  and 
the  heath-covered  country-side,  with  the  glowing  clumps  of 
flowering  gorse,  seemed  all  the  more  beautiful  to  eyes  which  were 
weary  of  the  duns  and  drabs  and  slate-greys  of  London.  Holmes 
and  I  walked  along  the  broad,  sandy  road  inhaling  the  fresh 
morning  air,  and  rejoicing  in  the  music  of  the  birds  and  the 
fresh  breath  of  the  spring.  From  a  rise  of  the  road  on  the  shoul- 
der of  Crooksbury  Hill,  we  could  see  the  grim  Hall  bristling  out 
from  amidst  the  ancient  oaks,  which,  old  as  they  were,  were  still 
younger  than  the  building  which  they  surrounded.  Holmes 


108       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

pointed  down  the  long  tract  of  road  which  wound,  a  reddish 
yellow  band,  between  the  brown  of  the  heath  and  the  budding 
green  of  the  woods.  Far  away,  a  black  dot,  we  could  see  a  ve- 
hicle moving  in  our  direction.  Holmes  gave  an  exclamation  of 
impatience. 

"  I  have  given  a  margin  of  half  an  hour, "  said  he.  "  If  that 
is  her  trap,  she  must  be  making  for  the  earlier  train.  I  fear, 
Watson,  that  she  will  be  past  Charlington  before  we  can  pos- 
sibly meet  her. " 

From  the  instant  that  we  passed  the  rise,  we  could  no  longer 
see  the  vehicle,  but  we  hastened  onwards  at  such  a  pace  that  my 
sedentary  life  began  to  tell  upon  me,  and  I  was  compelled  to  fall 
behind.  Holmes,  however,  was  always  in  training,  for  he  had 
inexhaustible  stores  of  nervous  energy  upon  which  to  draw. 
His  springy  step  never  slowed  until  suddenly,  when  he  was  a 
hundred  yards  in  front  of  me,  he  halted,  and  I  saw  him  throw 
up  his  hand  with  a  gesture  of  grief  and  despair.  At  the  same 
instant  an  empty  dog-cart,  the  horse  cantering,  the  reins  trail- 
ing, appeared  round  the  curve  of  the  road  and  rattled  swiftly 
towards  us. 

"  Too  late,  Watson,  too  late ! "  cried  Holmes,  as  I  ran  pant- 
ing to  his  side.  "  Fool  that  I  was,  not  to  allow  for  that  earlier 
train !  It's  abduction,  Watson  —  abduction !  Murder !  Heaven 
knows  what!  Block  the  road!  Stop  the  horse!  That's  right. 
Now,  jump  in,  and  let  us  see  if  I  can  repair  the  consequences  of 
my  own  blunder. " 

We  had  sprung  into  the  dog-cart,  and  Holmes,  after  turning 
the  horse,  gave  it  a  sharp  cut  with  the  whip,  and  we  flew  back 
along  the  road.  As  we  turned  the  curve,  the  whole  stretch  of 
road  between  the  Hall  and  the  heath  was  opened  up.  I  grasped 
Holmes'  arm. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST         109 

"  That's  the  man ! "  I  gasped. 

A  solitary  cyclist  was  coming  towards  us.  His  head  was 
down  and  his  shoulders  rounded,  as  he  put  every  ounce  of 
energy  that  he  possessed  on  to  the  pedals.  He  was  flying  like 
a  racer.  Suddenly  he  raised  his  bearded  face,  saw  us  close  to 
him,  and  pulled  up,  springing  from  his  machine.  That  coal- 
black  beard  was  in  singular  contrast  to  the  pallor  of  his  face, 
and  his  eyes  were  as  bright  as  if  he  had  a  fever.  He  stared  at 
us  and  at  the  dog-cart.  Then  a  look  of  amazement  came  over 
his  face. 

"Halloa!  Stop  there!"  he  shouted,  holding  his  bicycle  to 
block  our  road.  "  Where  did  you  get  that  dog-cart  ?  Pull  up, 
man !  he  yelled,  drawing  a  pistol  from  his  side  pocket.  "  Pull 
up,  I  say,  or,  by  George,  I'll  put  a  bullet  into  your  horse.  " 

Holmes  threw  the  reins  into  my  lap,  and  sprang  down  from 
the  cart. 

"You're  the  man  we  want  to  see.  Where  is  Miss  Violet 
Smith  ?  "  he  said,  in  his  quick,  clear  way. 

"  That's  what  I'm  asking  you.  You're  in  her  dog-cart.  You 
ought  to  know  where  she  is. " 

"  We  met  the  dog-cart  on  the  road.  There  was  no  one  in  it. 
We  drove  back  to  help  the  young  lady. " 

"  Good  Lord !  Good  Lord !  what  shall  I  do  ? "  cried  the 
stranger,  in  an  ecstasy  of  despair.  "  They've  got  her,  that  hell- 
hound Woodley  and  the  blackguard  parson.  Come,  man, 
come,  if  you  really  are  her  friend.  Stand  by  me  and  we'll  save 
her,  if  I  have  to  leave  my  carcase  in  Charlington  Wood.  " 

He  ran  distractedly,  his  pistol  in  his  hand,  towards  a  gap  in 
the  hedge.  Holmes  followed  him,  and  I,  leaving  the  horse 
grazing  beside  the  road,  followed  Holmes. 

"  This  is  where  they  came  through,  "  said  he,  pointing  to  the 


110       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

marks  of  several  feet  upon  the  muddy  path.  "  Halloa !  Stop  a 
minute !  Who's  this  in  the  bush  ?  " 

It  was  a  young  fellow  about  seventeen,  dressed  like  an  ostler, 
with  leather  cords  and  gaiters.  He  lay  upon  his  back,  his 
knees  drawn  up,  a  terrible  cut  upon  his  head,  He  was  in- 
sensible, but  alive.  A  glance  at  his  wound  told  me  that  it  had 
not  penetrated  the  bone. 

"  That's  Peter,  the  groom, "  cried  the  stranger.  "  He  drove 
her.  The  beasts  have  pulled  him  off  and  clubbed  him.  Let 
him  lie ;  we  can't  do  him  any  good,  but  we  may  save  her  from 
the  worst  fate  that  can  befall  a  woman. " 

We  ran  frantically  down  the  path,  which  wound  among  the 
trees.  We  had  reached  the  shrubbery  which  surrounded  the 
house  when  Holmes  pulled  up. 

"  They  didn't  go  to  the  house.  Here  are  their  marks  on  the 
left  —  here,  beside  the  laurel  bushes.  Ah !  I  said  so. " 

As  he  spoke,  a  woman's  shrill  scream  —  a  scream  which 
vibrated  with  a  f enzy  of  horror  —  burst  from  the  thick,  green 
clump  of  bushes  in  front  of  us.  It  ended  suddenly  on  its 
highest  note  with  a  choke  and  a  gurgle. 

"  This  way !  This  way !  They  are  in  the  bowling-alley, "  cried 
the  stranger,  darting  through  the  bushes.  "  Ah,  the  cowardly 
dogs !  Follow  me,  gentlemen !  Too  late !  too  late !  by  the  living 
Jingo!" 

We  had  broken  suddenly  into  a  lovely  glade  of  greensward 
surrounded  by  ancient  trees.  On  the  farther  side  of  it,  under 
the  shadow  of  a  mighty  oak,  there  stood  a  singular  group  of 
three  people.  One  was  a  woman,  our  client,  drooping  and 
faint,  a  handkerchief  round  her  mouth.  Opposite  her  stood 
a  brutal,  heavy-faced,  red-moustached  young  man,  his  gaitered 
legs  parted  wide,  one  arm  akimbo,  the  other  waving  a  riding- 


A    SOLITARY    CYCLIST    \V  A  S    COMING    TOWARDS    US 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST          111 

crop,  his  whole  attitude  suggestive  of  triumphant  bravado.  Be- 
tween them  an  elderly,  grey-bearded  man,  wearing  a  short  sur- 
plice over  a  light  tweed  suit,  had  evidently  just  completed  the 
wedding  service,  for  he  pocketed  his  prayer-book  as  we  ap- 
peared, and  slapped  the  sinister  bridegroom  upon  the  back  in 
jovial  congratulation. 

"They're  married!"   I  gasped. 

"Come  on!"  cried  our  guide;  "come  on!"  He  rushed 
across  the  glade,  Holmes  and  I  at  his  heels.  At  we  approached, 
the  lady  staggered  against  the  trunk  of  the  tree  for  support. 
Williamson,  the  ex-clergyman,  bowed  to  us  with  mock  polite- 
ness, and  the  bully,  Woodley,  advanced  with  a  shout  of  brutal 
and  exultant  laughter. 

"  You  can  take  your  beard  off,  Bob, "  said  he.  "  I  know  you, 
right  enough.  Well,  you  and  your  pals  have  just  come  in  time 
for  me  to  be  able  to  introduce  you  to  Mrs.  Woodley. " 

Our  guide's  answer  was  a  singular  one.  He  snatched  off 
the  dark  beard  which  had  disguised  him  and  threw  it  on  the 
ground,  disclosing  a  long,  sallow,  clean-shaven  face  below  it. 
Then  he  raised  his  revolver  and  covered  the  young  ruffian,  who 
was  advancing  upon  him  with  his  dangerous  riding-crop 
swinging  in  his  hand. 

"  Yes, "  said  our  ally,  "  I  am  Bob  Carruthers,  and  I'll  see  this 
woman  righted,  if  I  have  to  swing  for  it.  I  told  you  what  I'd  do 
if  you  molested  her,  and,  by  the  Lord !  I'll  be  as  good  as  my 
word." 

"  You're  too  late.     She's  my  wife. " 

"  No,  she's  your  widow. " 

His  revolver  cracked,  and  I  saw  the  blood  spurt  from  the 
front  of  Woodley's  waistcoat.  He  spun  round  with  a  scream 
and  fell  upon  his  back,  his  hideous  red  face  turning  suddenly  to 


112       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

a  dreadful  mottled  pallor.  The  old  man,  still  clad  in  his  sur- 
plice, burst  into  such  a  string  of  foul  oaths  as  I  have  never  heard, 
and  pulled  out  a  revolver  of  his  own,  but,  before  he  could  raise 
it,  he  was  looking  down  the  barrel  of  Holmes'  weapon. 

"  Enough  of  this,  said  my  friend,  coldly.  "  Drop  that  pistol ! 
Watson,  pick  it  up!  Hold  it  to  his  head!  Thank  you.  You, 
Carruthers,  give  me  that  revolver.  We'll  have  no  more  vio- 
lence. Come,  hand  it  over ! " 

"  Who  are  you,  then  ?  " 

"  My  name  is  Sherlock  Holmes. " 

"Good  Lord!" 

"  You  have  heard  of  me,  I  see.  I  will  represent  the  official 
police  until  their  arrival.  Here,  you!"  he  shouted  to  a  fright- 
ened groom,  who  had  appeared  at  the  edge  of  the  glade.  "  Come 
here.  Take  this  note,  as  hard  as  you  can  ride,  to  Farnham. " 
He  scribbled  a  few  words  upon  a  leaf  from  his  note-book.  "  Give 
it  to  the  superintendent  at  the  police-station.  Until  he  comes, 
I  must  detain  you  all  under  my  personal  custody. " 

The  strong,  masterful  personality  of  Holmes  dominated  the 
tragic  scene,  and  all  were  equally  puppets  in  his  hands.  Wil- 
liamson and  Carruthers  found  themselves  carrying  the  wound- 
ed Woodley  into  the  house,  and  I  gave  my  arm  to  the  fright- 
ened girl.  The  injured  man  was  laid  on  his  bed,  and  at 
Holmes'  request  I  examined  him.  I  carried  my  report  to 
where  he  sat  in  the  old  tapestry-hung  dining-room  with  his  two 
prisoners  before  him. 

"He  will  live,  "said  I. 

"  What ! "  cried  Carruthers,  springing  out  of  his  chair.  "  I'll 
go  upstairs  and  finish  him  first.  Do  you  tell  me  that  that  girl, 
that  angel,  is  to  be  tied  to  Roaring  Jack  Woodley  for  life  ?  " 

"  You  need  not  concern  yourself  about  that, "  said  Holmes. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST          113 

"  There  are  two  very  good  reasons  why  she  should,  under  no 
circumstances,  be  his  wife.  In  the  first  place,  we  are  very  safe 
in  questioning  Mr.  Williamson's  right  to  solemnize  a  marriage." 

"  I  have  been  ordained, "  cried  the  old  rascal. 

"  And  also  unfrocked. " 

"  Once  a  clergyman,  always  a  clergyman. " 

"  I  think  not.     How  about  the  licence  ?  " 

"  We  had  a  licence  for  the  marriage.  I  have  it  here  in  my 
pocket. " 

"  Then  you  got  it  by  a  trick.  But,  in  any  case,  a  forced  mar- 
riage is  no  marriage,  but  it  is  a  very  serious  felony,  as  you  will 
discover  before  you  have  finished.  You'll  have  time  to  think 
the  point  out  during  the  next  ten  years  or  so,  unless  I  am  mis- 
taken. As  to  you,  Camithers,  you  would  have  done  better  to 
keep  your  pistol  in  your  pocket.  " 

"  I  begin  to  think  so,  Mr.  Holmes,  but  when  I  thought  of  all 
the  precaution  I  had  taken  to  shield  this  girl  —  for  I  loved  her, 
Mr.  Holmes,  and  it  is  the  only  time  that  ever  I  knew  what  love 
was  —  it  fairly  drove  me  mad  to  think  that  she  was  in  the  power 
of  the  greatest  brute  and  bully  in  South  Africa  —  a  man  whose 
name  is  a  holy  terror  from  Kimberley  to  Johannesburg.  Why, 
Mr.  Holmes,  you'll  hardly  believe  it,  but  ever  since  that  girl 
has  been  in  my  employment  I  never  once  let  her  go  past  this 
house,  where  I  knew  the  rascals  were  lurking,  without  follow- 
ing her  on  my  bicycle,  just  to  see  that  she  came  to  no  harm.  I 
kept  my  distance  from  her,  and  I  wore  a  beard,  so  that  she 
should  not  recognise  me,  for  she  is  a  good  and  high-spirited  girl, 
and  she  wouldn't  have  stayed  in  my  employment  long  if  she 
had  thought  that  I  was  following  her  about  the  country  roads. " 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  her  of  her  danger  ?  " 

"  Because,  then,  again,  she  would  have  left  me,  and  I  couldn't 


114       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

bear  to  face  that.  Even  if  she  couldn't  love  me,  it  was  a  great 
deal  to  me  just  to  see  her  dainty  form  about  the  house,  and  to 
hear  the  sound  of  her  voice.  " 

"Well,  said  I,  "you  call  that  love,  Mr.  Carnithers,  but  I 
should  call  it  selfishness. " 

"Maybe  the  two  things  go  together.  Anyhow,  I  couldn't 
let  her  go.  Besides,  with  this  crowd  about,  it  was  well  that  she 
should  have  someone  near  to  look  after  her.  Then,  when  the 
cable  came,  I  knew  they  were  bound  to  make  a  move. " 

"What  cable?" 

Carnithers  took  a  telegram  from  his  pocket. 

"That's  it,"  said  he. 

It  was  short  and  concise : — 

"The  old  man  is  dead." 

"Hum!"  said  Holmes.  " I  think  I  see  how  things  worked, 
and  I  can  understand  how  this  message  would,  as  you  say,  bring 
them  to  a  head.  But  while  you  wait,  you  might  tell  me  what 
you  can. " 

The  old  reprobate  with  the  surplice  burst  into  a  volley  of  bad 
language. 

"By  Heaven!"  said  he,  if  you  squeal  on  us,  Bob  Carruthers, 
I'll  serve  you  as  you  served  Jack  Woodley.  You  can  bleat 
about  the  girl  to  your  heart's  content,  for  that's  your  own  affair, 
but  if  you  round  on  your  pals  to  this  plain-clothes  copper,  it  will 
be  the  worst  day's  work  that  ever  you  did. " 

"  Your  reverence  need  not  be  excited, "  said  Holmes,  lighting 
a  cigarette.  "The  case  is  clear  enough  against  you,  and 
all  I  ask  is  a  few  details  for  my  private  curiosity.  However, 
if  there's  any  difficulty  in  your  telling  me,  I'll  do  the  talk- 
ing, and  then  you  will  see  how  far  you  have  a  chance  of 
holding  back  your  secrets.  In  the  first  place,  three  of  you 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST         115 

came  from  South  Africa  on  this  game  — you  Williamson,  you 
Carruthers,  and  Woodley. " 

"  Lie  number  one, "  said  the  old  man ;  "  I  never  saw  either  of 
them  until  two  months  ago,  and  I  have  never  been  in  Africa  in 
my  life,  so  you  can  put  that  in  your  pipe  and  smoke  it,  Mr.  Busy- 
body Holmes ! " 

"  What  he  says  is  true, "  said  Carruthers. 

"  Well,  well,  two  of  you  came  over.     His  reverence  is  our  own 

home-made  article.     You  had  known  Ralph  Smith  in  South 

Africa.     You  had  reason  to  believe  he  would  not  live  long.  You 

found  out  that  his  niece  would  inherit  his  fortune.     How's  that 

-eh?" 

Carruthers  nodded  and  Williamson  swore. 

"  She  was  next  of  kin,  no  doubt,  and  you  were  aware  that  the 
old  fellow  would  make  no  will. " 

"  Couldn't  read  or  write, "  said  Carruthers. 

"  So  you  came  over  the  two  of  you,  and  hunted  up  the  girl. 
The  idea  was  that  one  of  you  was  to  marry  her,  and  the  other 
have  a  share  of  the  plunder.  For  some  reason,  Woodley  was 
chosen  as  the  husband.  Why  was  that  ?  " 

"  We  played  cards  for  her  on  the  voyage.     He  won. " 

"  I  see.  You  got  the  young  lady  into  your  service,  and  there 
Woodley  was  to  do  the  courting.  She  recognised  the  drunken 
brute  that  he  was,  and  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him. 
Meanwhile,  your  arrangement  was  rather  upset  by  the  fact  that 
you  had  yourself  fallen  in  love  with  the  lady.  You  could  no 
longer  bear  the  idea  of  this  ruffian  owning  her  ?  " 

"No,  by  George,  I  couldn't!" 

There  was  a  quarrel  between  you.  He  left  you  in  a  rage,  and 
began  to  make  his  own  plans  independently  of  you. " 

"  It  strikes  me,  Williamson,  there  isn't  very  much  that  we  can 


116       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

tell  this  gentleman, "  cried  Carruthers,  with  a  bitter  laugh. 
"Yes,  we  quarrelled,  and  he  knocked  me  down.  I  am  level 
with  him  on  that,  anyhow.  Then  I  lost  sight  of  him.  That 
was  when  he  picked  up  with  this  cast  padre  here.  I  found 
that  they  had  set  up  housekeeping  together  at  this  place  on  the 
line  that  she  had  to  pass  for  the  station.  I  kept  my  eye  on  her 
after  that,  for  I  knew  there  was  some  devilry  in  the  wind.  I 
saw  them  from  time  to  time,  for  I  was  anxious  to  know  what 
they  were  after.  Two  days  ago  Woodley  came  up  to  my  house 
with  this  cable,  which  showed  that  Ralph  Smith  was  dead.  He 
asked  me  if  I  would  stand  by  the  bargain.  I  said  I  would  not. 
He  asked  me  if  I  would  marry  the  girl  myself,  and  give  him  a 
share.  I  said  I  would  willingly  do  so,  but  that  she  would  not 
have  me.  He  said,  'Let  us  get  her  married  first,  and  after  a 
week  or  two  she  may  see  things  a  bit  different.'  I  said  I  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  violence.  So  he  went  off  cursing,  like 
the  foul-mouthed  blackguard  that  he  was,  and  swearing  that 
he  would  have  her  yet.  She  was  leaving  me  this  week-end,  and 
I  had  got  a  trap  to  take  her  to  the  station,  but  I  was  so  uneasy 
in  my  mind  that  I  followed  her  on  my  bicycle.  She  had  got  a 
start,  however,  and  before  I  could  catch  her,  the  mischief  was 
done.  The  first  thing  I  knew  about  it  was  when  I  saw  you  two 
gentlemen  driving  back  in  her  dog-cart. " 

Holmes  rose  and  tossed  the  end  of  his  cigarette  into  the  grate. 
"  I  have  been  very  obtuse,  Watson, "  said  he.  "  When  in  your 
report  you  said  that  you  had  seen  the  cyclist  as  you  thought  ar- 
range his  necktie  in  the  shrubbery,  that  alone  should  have  told 
me  all.  However,  we  may  congratulate  ourselves  upon  a  curi- 
ous and,  in  some  respects,  a  unique  case.  I  perceive  three  of  the 
county  constabulary  in  the  drive,  and  I  am  glad  to  see  that  the 
little  ostler  is  able  to  keep  pace  with  them,  so  it  is  likely  that 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SOLITARY  CYCLIST          117 

neither  he  nor  the  interesting  bridegroom  will  be  permanently 
damaged  by  their  morning's  adventures.  I  think,  Watson,  that 
in  your  medical  capacity,  you  might  wait  upon  Miss  Smith  and 
tell  her  that  if  she  is  sufficiently  recovered,  we  shall  be  happy  to 
escort  her  to  her  mother's  home.  If  she  is  not  quite  convales- 
cent, you  will  find  that  a  hint  that  we  were  about  to  telegraph  to 
a  young  electrician  in  the  Midlands  would  probably  complete 
the  cure.  As  to  you,  Mr.  Carruthers,  I  think  that  you  have 
done  what  you  could  to  make  amends  for  your  share  in  an  evil 
plot.  There  is  my  card,  sir,  and  if  my  evidence  can  be  of  help 
to  you  in  your  trial,  it  shall  be  at  your  disposal. " 

In  the  whirl  of  our  incessant  activity,  it  has  often  been  diffi- 
cult for  me,  as  the  reader  has  probably  observed,  to  round  off 
my  narratives,  and  to  give  those  final  details  which  the  curious 
might  expect.  Each  case  has  been  the  prelude  to  another,  and 
the  crisis  once  over  the  actors  have  passed  for  ever  out  of  our 
busy  lives.  I  find,  however,  a  short  note  at  the  end  of  my  manu- 
script dealing  with  this  case,  in  which  I  have  put  it  upon  rec- 
ord that  Miss  Violet  Smith  did  indeed  inherit  a  large  fortune, 
and  that  she  is  now  the  wife  of  Cyril  Morton,  the  senior  partner 
of  Morton  &  Kennedy,  the  famous  Westminster  electricians. 
Williamson  and  Woodley  were  both  tried  for  abduction  and 
assault,  the  former  getting  seven  years  and  the  latter  ten.  Of 
the  fate  of  Carruthers,  I  have  no  record,  but  I  am  sure  that  his 
assault  was  not  viewed  very  gravely  by  the  court,  since  Woodley 
had  the  reputation  of  being  a  most  dangerous  ruffian,  and  I 
think  that  a  few  months  were  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  demands  of 
justice. 


V 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL 

W  E  have  had  some  dramatic  entrances  and  exits  upon  our 
small  stage  at  Baker  Street,  but  I  cannot  recollect  any- 
thing more  sudden  and  startling  than  the  first  appearance  of 
Dr.  Thorneycroft  Huxtable,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  etc.  His  card, 
which  seemed  too  small  to  carry  the  weight  of  his  academic 
distinctions,  preceded  him  by  a  few  seconds,  and  then  he  entered 
himself  —  so  large,  so  pompous,  and  so  dignified  that  he  was 
the  very  embodiment  of  self-possession  and  solidity.  And  yet 
his  first  action,  when  the  door  had  closed  behind  him,  was  to 
stagger  against  the  table,  whence  he  slipped  down  upon  the 
floor,  and  there  was  that  majestic  figure  prostrate  and  insen- 
sible upon  our  bearskin  hearthrug. 

We  had  sprung  to  our  feet,  and  for  a  few  moments  we  stared 
in  silent  amazement  at  this  ponderous  piece  of  wreckage, 
which  told  of  some  sudden  and  fatal  storm  far  out  on  the  ocean 
of  life.  Then  Holmes  hurried  with  a  cushion  for  his  head,  and 
I  with  brandy  for  his  lips.  The  heavy,  white  face  was  seamed 
with  lines  of  trouble,  the  hanging  pouches  under  the  closed 
eyes  were  leaden  in  colour,  the  loose  mouth  drooped  dolorously 
at  the  corners,  the  rolling  chins  were  unshaven.  Collar  and 


120  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

shirt  bore  the  grime  of  a  long  journey,  and  the  hair  bristled 
unkempt  from  the  well-shaped  head.  It  was  a  sorely  stricken 
man  who  lay  before  us. 

"  What  is  it,  Watson  ?  "  asked  Holmes. 

"Absolute  exhaustion  —  possibly  mere  hunger  and  fatigue," 
said  I,  with  my  finger  on  the  thready  pulse,  where  the  stream 
of  life  trickled  thin  and  small. 

"Return  ticket  from  Mackleton,  in  the  North  of  England," 
said  Holmes,  drawing  it  from  the  watch-pocket.  "It  is  not 
twelve  o'clock  yet.  He  has  certainly  been  an  early  starter." 

The  puckered  eyelids  had  begun  to  quiver,  and  now 
a  pair  of  vacant,  grey  eyes  looked  up  at  us.  An  instant 
later  the  man  had  scrambled  on  to  his  feet,  his  face  crimson 
with  shame. 

"Forgive  this  weakness,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  have  been  a  little 
overwrought.  Thank  you,  if  I  might  have  a  glass  of  milk  and 
a  biscuit,  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  should  be  better.  I  came  per- 
sonally, Mr.  Holmes,  in  order  to  insure  that  you  would  return 
with  me.  I  feared  that  no  telegram  would  convince  you  of  the 
absolute  urgency  of  the  case." 

"  When  you  are  quite  restored  —  " 

"I  am  quite  well  again.  I  cannot  imagine  how  I  came  to 
be  so  weak.  I  wish  you,  Mr.  Holmes,  to  come  to  Mackleton 
with  me  by  the  next  train." 

My  friend  shook  his  head. 

"My  colleague,  Dr.  Watson,  could  tell  you  that  we  are  very 
busy  at  present.  I  am  retained  in  this  case  of  the  Ferrers 
Documents,  and  the  Abergavenny  murder  is  coming  up  for 
trial.  Only  a  very  important  issue  could  call  me  from  London 
at  present." 

"Important!"     Our  visitor  threw  up  his  hands.     "Have 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  121 

you  heard  nothing  of  the  abduction  of  the  only  son  of  the  Duke 
of  Holdernesse  ?  " 

"What!  the  late  Cabinet  Minister?" 

"  Exactly.  We  had  tried  to  keep  it  out  of  the  papers,  but 
there  was  some  rumour  in  the  Globe  last  night.  I  thought  it 
might  have  reached  your  ears." 

Holmes  shot  out  his  long,  thin  arm  and  picked  out  Volume 
"  H  "  in  his  encyclopaedia  of  reference. 

"'Holdernesse,  6th  Duke,  K.G.,  P.C.'— half  the  alphabet! 
'Baron  Beverley,  Earl  of  Carston' — dear  me,  what  a  list! 
'  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Hallamshire  since  1900.  Married  Edith, 
daughter  of  Sir  Charles  Appledore,  1888.  Heir  and  only  child, 
Lord  Saltire.  Owns  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
acres.  Minerals  in  Lancashire  and  Wales.  Address:  Carl- 
ton  House  Terrace;  Holdernesse  Hall,  Hallamshire;  Carston 
Castle,  Bangor,  Wales.  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  1872;  Chief 
Secretary  of  State  for — '  Well,  well,  this  man  is  certainly 
one  of  the  greatest  subjects  of  the  Crown ! " 

"The  greatest  and  perhaps  the  wealthiest.  I  am  aware, 
Mr.  Holmes,  that  you  take  a  very  high  line  in  professional  mat- 
ters, and  that  you  are  prepared  to  work  for  the  work's  sake. 
I  may  tell  you,  however,  that  his  Grace  has  already  intimated 
that  a  cheque  for  five  thousand  pounds  will  be  handed  over  to 
the  person  who  can  tell  him  where  his  son  is,  and  another  thou- 
sand to  him  who  can  name  the  man  or  men  who  have  taken 
him." 

"It  is  a  princely  offer,"  said  Holmes.  "Watson,  I  think 
that  we  shall  accompany  Dr.  Huxtable  back  to  the  North  of 
England.  And  now,  Dr.  Huxtable,  when  you  have  consumed 
that  milk,  you  will  kindly  tell  me  what  has  happened,  when  it 
happened,  how  it  happened,  and,  finally,  what  Dr.  Thorney- 


122       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

croft  Huxtable,  of  the  Priory  School,  near  Mackleton,  has  to 
do  with  the  matter,  and  why  he  comes  three  days  after  an 
event  —  the  state  of  your  chin  gives  the  date  —  to  ask  for  my 
humble  services." 

Our  visitor  had  consumed  his  milk  and  biscuits.  The  light 
had  come  back  to  his  eyes  and  the  colour  to  his  cheeks,  as  he  set 
himself  with  great  vigour  and  lucidity  to  explain  the  situation. 

"  I  must  inform  you,  gentlemen,  that  the  Priory  is  a  prepar- 
atory school,  of  which  I  am  the  founder  and  principal.  '  Hux- 
table's  Sidelights  on  Horace'  may  possibly  recall  my  name  to 
your  memories.  The  Priory  is,  without  exception,  the  best 
and  most  select  preparatory  school  in  England.  Lord  Lever- 
stoke,  the  Earl  of  Blackwater,  Sir  Cathcart  Soames  —  they  all 
have  intrusted  their  sons  to  me.  But  I  felt  that  my  school 
had  reached  its  zenith  when,  three  weeks  ago,  the  Duke  of 
Holdernesse  sent  Mr.  James  Wilder,  his  secretary,  with  the 
intimation  that  young  Lord  Saltire,  ten  years  old,  his  only  son 
and  heir,  was  about  to  be  committed  to  my  charge.  Little  did 
I  think  that  this  would  be  the  prelude  to  the  most  crushing 
misfortune  of  my  life. 

"  On  May  1st  the  boy  arrived,  that  being  the  beginning  of  the 
summer  term.  He  was  a  charming  youth,  and  he  soon  fell 
into  our  ways.  I  may  tell  you  —  I  trust  that  I  am  not  indis- 
creet, but  half-confidences  are  absurd  in  such  a  case  —  that 
he  was  not  entirely  happy  at  home.  It  is  an  open  secret  that 
the  Duke's  married  life  had  not  been  a  peaceful  one,  and  the 
matter  had  ended  in  a  separation  by  mutual  consent,  the 
Duchess  taking  up  her  residence  in  the  South  of  France.  This 
had  occurred  very  shortly  before,  and  the  boy's  sympathies  are 
known  to  have  been  strongly  with  his  mother.  He  moped 
after  her  departure  from  Holdernesse  Hall,  and  it  was  for  this 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  123 

reason  that  the  Duke  desired  to  send  him  to  my  establishment. 
In  a  fortnight  the  boy  was  quite  at  home  with  us,  and  was 
apparently  absolutely  happy. 

"  He  was  last  seen  on  the  night  of  May  13th  —  that  is,  the 
night  of  last  Monday.  His  room  was  on  the  second  floor,  and 
was  approached  through  another  larger  room,  in  which  two 
boys  were  sleeping.  These  boys  saw  and  heard  nothing,  so 
that  it  is  certain  that  young  Saltire  did  not  pass  out  that  way. 
His  window  was  open,  and  there  is  a  stout  ivy  plant  leading  to 
the  ground.  We  could  trace  no  footmarks  below,  but  it  is  sure 
that  this  is  the  only  possible  exit. 

"His  absence  was  discovered  at  seven  o'clock  on  Tuesday 
morning.  His  bed  had  been  slept  in.  He  had  dressed  him- 
self fully,  before  going  off,  in  his  usual  school  suit  of  black  Eton 
jacket  and  dark  grey  trousers.  There  were  no  signs  that  any- 
one had  entered  the  room,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  anything 
in  the  nature  of  cries  or  a  struggle  would  have  been  heard, 
since  Gaunter,  the  elder  boy  in  the  inner  room,  is  a  very  light 
sleeper. 

"  When  Lord  Saltire's  disappearance  was  discovered,  I  at 
once  called  a  roll  of  the  whole  establishment  —  boys,  masters, 
and  servants.  It  was  then  that  we  ascertained  that  Lord  Sal- 
tire  had  not  been  alone  in  his  flight.  Heidegger,  the  German 
master,  was  missing.  His  room  was  on  the  second  floor,  at  the 
farther  end  of  the  building,  facing  the  same  way  as  Lord  Sal- 
tire's.  His  bed  had  also  been  slept  in,  but  he  had  apparently 
gone  away  partly  dressed,  since  his  shirt  and  socks  were  lying 
on  the  floor.  He  had  undoubtedly  let  himself  down  by  the 
ivy,  for  we  could  see  the  marks  of  his  feet  where  he  had  landed 
on  the  lawn.  His  bicycle  was  kept  m  a  small  shed  beside  this 
lawn,  and  it  also  was  gone. 


124  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  He  had  been  with  me  for  two  years,  and  came  with  the  best 
references,  but  he  was  a  silent,  morose  man,  not  very  popular 
either  with  masters  or  boys.  No  trace  could  be  found  of  the 
fugitives,  and  now,  on  Thursday  morning,  we  are  as  ignorant  as 
we  were  on  Tuesday.  Inquiry  was,  of  course,  made  at  once  at 
Holdernesse  Hall.  It  is  only  a  few  miles  away,  and  we  imag- 
ined that,  in  some  sudden  attack  of  homesickness,  he  had  gone 
back  to  his  father,  but  nothing  had  been  heard  of  him.  The 
Duke  is  greatly  agitated,  and,  as  to  me,  you  have  seen  your- 
selves the  state  of  nervous  prostration  to  which  the  suspense 
and  the  responsibility  have  reduced  me.  Mr.  Holmes,  if  ever 
you  put  forward  your  full  powers,  I  implore  you  to  do  so  now, 
for  never  in  your  life  could  you  have  a  case  which  is  more 
worthy  of  them." 

Sherlock  Holmes  had  listened  with  the  utmost  intentness  to 
the  statement  of  the  unhappy  schoolmaster.  His  drawn  brows 
and  the  deep  furrow  between  them  showed  that  he  needed  no 
exhortation  to  concentrate  all  his  attention  upon  a  problem 
which,  apart  from  the  tremendous  interests  involved,  must 
appeal  so  directly  to  his  love  of  the  complex  and  the  unusual. 
He  now  drew  out  his  note-book,  and  jotted  down  one  or  two 
memoranda. 

"You  have  been  very  remiss  in  not  coming  to  me  sooner," 
said  he,  severely.  "You  start  me  on  my  investigation  with  a 
very  serious  handicap.  It  is  inconceivable,  for  example,  that 
this  ivy  and  this  lawn  would  have  yielded  nothing  to  an  expert 
observer." 

"  I  am  not  to  blame,  Mr.  Holmes.  His  Grace  was  extremely 
desirous  to  avoid  all  public  scandal.  He  was  afraid  of  his 
family  unhappiness  being  dragged  before  the  world.  He  has 
a  deep  horror  of  anything  of  the  kind." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  125 

"  But  there  has  been  some  official  investigation  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  it  has  proved  most  disappointing.  An  appar- 
ent clue  was  at  once  obtained,  since  a  boy  and  a  young  man 
were  reported  to  have  been  seen  leaving  a  neighbouring  station 
by  an  early  train.  Only  last  night  we  had  news  that  the  couple 
had  been  hunted  down  in  Liverpool,  and  they  prove  to  have  no 
connection  whatever  with  the  matter  in  hand.  Then  it  was 
that  in  my  despair  and  disappointment,  after  a  sleepless  night, 
I  came  straight  to  you  by  the  early  train." 

"I  suppose  the  local  investigation  was  relaxed  while  this 
false  clue  was  being  followed  up  ?  " 

"  It  was  entirely  dropped." 

"  So  that  three  days  have  been  wasted.  The  affair  has  been 
most  deplorably  handled." 

"  I  feel  it,  and  admit  it." 

"And  yet  the  problem  should  be  capable  of  ultimate  solu- 
tion. I  shall  be  very  happy  to  look  into  it.  Have  you  been 
able  to  trace  any  connection  between  the  missing  boy  and  this 
German  master  ?  " 

"None  at  all." 

"  Was  he  in  the  master's  class  ?  " 

"  No,  he  never  exchanged  a  word  with  him,  so  far  as  I  know." 

"  That  is  certainly  very  singular.     Had  the  boy  a  bicycle  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Was  any  other  bicycle  missing  ?  " 

"No." 

"Is  that  certain?" 

"Quite." 

"  Well,  now,  you  do  not  mean  to  seriously  suggest  that  this 
German  rode  off  upon  a  bicycle  in  the  dead  of  the  night,  bearing 
the  boy  in  his  arms  ?  " 


126  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"Certainly  not." 

"  Then  what  is  the  theory  in  your  mind  ?  " 

"The  bicycle  may  have  been  a  blind.  It  may  have  been 
hidden  somewhere,  and  the  pair  gone  off  on  foot." 

"  Quite  so,  but  it  seems  rather  an  absurd  blind,  does  it  not  ? 
Were  there  other  bicycles  in  this  shed  ?  " 

"Several." 

"  Would  he  not  have  hidden  a  couple,  had  he  desired  to  give 
the  idea  that  they  had  gone  off  upon  them  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  he  would." 

"  Of  course  he  would.  The  blind  theory  won't  do.  But  the 
incident  is  an  admirable  starting-point  for  an  investigation. 
After  all,  a  bicycle  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  conceal  or  to  destroy. 
One  other  question.  Did  anyone  call  to  see  the  boy  on  the  day 
before  he  disappeared  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Did  he  get  any  letters  ?  " 

"Yes,  one  letter.'* 

"From  whom?" 

"From  his  father." 

"  Do  you  open  the  boys'  letters  ?  " 

"No." 

"  How  do  you  know  it  was  from  the  father  ?" 

"  The  coat  of  arms  was  on  the  envelope,  and  it  was  addressed 
in  the  Duke's  peculiar  stiff  hand.  Besides,  the  Duke  remem- 
bers having  written." 

"  When  had  he  a  letter  before  that  ?  " 

"  Not  for  several  days." 

"  Had  he  ever  one  from  France  ?  '* 

"  No,  never." 

"  You  see  the  point  of  my  questions,  of  course.     Either  the 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  127 

boy  was  carried  off  by  force  or  he  went  of  his  own  free-will. 
In  the  latter  case,  you  would  expect  that  some  prompting  from 
outside  would  be  needed  to  make  so  young  a  lad  do  such  a 
thing.  If  he  has  had  no  visitors,  that  prompting  must  have 
come  in  letters;  hence  I  try  to  find  out  who  were  his  corre- 
spondents." 

"  I  fear  I  cannot  help  you  much.  His  only  correspondent,  so 
far  as  I  know,  was  his  own  father." 

"  Who  wrote  to  him  on  the  very  day  of  his  disappearance. 
Were  the  relations  between  father  and  son  very  friendly  ?  " 

"  His  Grace  is  never  very  friendly  with  anyone.  He  is  com- 
pletely immersed  in  large  public  questions,  and  is  rather  in- 
accessible to  all  ordinary  emotions.  But  he  was  always  kind 
to  the  boy  in  his  own  way." 

"  But  the  sympathies  of  the  latter  were  with  the  mother?" 

"Yes." 

"Did  he  say  so?" 

"No." 

"The  Duke,  then?" 

"  Good  Heavens,  no!" 

"  Then  how  could  you  know  ?  " 

**  I  have  had  some  confidential  talks  with  Mr.  James  Wilder, 
his  Grace's  secretary.  It  was  he  who  gave  me  the  infor- 
mation about  Lord  Saltire's  feelings." 

"  I  see.  By  the  way,  that  last  letter  of  the  Duke's  —  was  it 
found  in  the  boy's  room  after  he  was  gone  ?  " 

"  No,  he  had  taken  it  with  him.  I  think,  Mr.  Holmes,  it  is 
time  that  we  were  leaving  for  Euston." 

"  I  will  order  a  four-wheeler.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  we 
shall  be  at  your  service.  If  you  are  telegraphing  home,  Mr. 
Huxtable,  it  would  be  well  to  allow  the  people  in  your  neigh- 


128       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

bourhood  to  imagine  that  the  inquiry  is  still  going  on  in  Liver- 
pool, or  wherever  else  that  red  herring  led  your  pack.  In  the 
meantime  I  will  do  a  little  quiet  work  at  your  own  doors,  and 
perhaps  the  scent  is  not  so  cold  but  that  two  old  hounds  like 
Watson  and  myself  may  get  a  sniff  of  it." 

That  evening  found  us  in  the  cold,  bracing  atmosphere  of  the 
Peak  country,  in  which  Dr.  Huxtable's  famous  school  is  situ- 
ated. It  was  already  dark  when  we  reached  it.  A  card  was 
lying  on  the  hall  table,  and  the  butler  whispered  something  to 
his  master,  who  turned  to  us  with  agitation  in  every  heavy 
feature. 

"  The  Duke  is  here,"  said  he.  "  The  Duke  and  Mr.  Wilder 
are  in  the  study.  Come,  gentlemen,  and  I  will  introduce 
you." 

I  was,  of  course,  familiar  with  the  pictures  of  the  famous 
statesman,  but  the  man  himself  was  very  different  from  his 
representation.  He  was  a  tall  and  stately  person,  scrupulously 
dressed,  with  a  drawn,  thin  face,  and  a  nose  which  was  gro- 
tesquely curved  and  long.  His  complexion  was  of  a  dead 
pallor,  which  was  more  startling  by  contrast  with  a  long, 
dwindling  beard  of  vivid  red,  which  flowed  down  over  his  white 
waistcoat,  with  his  watch-chain  gleaming  through  its  fringe. 
Such  was  the  stately  presence  who  looked  stonily  at  us  from  the 
centre  of  Dr.  Huxtable's  hearthrug.  Beside  him  stood  a  very 
young  man,  whom  I  understood  to  be  Wilder,  the  private 
secretary.  He  was  small,  nervous,  alert,  with  intelligent,  light- 
blue  eyes  and  mobile  features.  It  was  he  who  at  once,  in  an 
incisive  and  positive  tone,  opened  the  conversation. 

"I  called  this  morning,  Dr.  Huxtable,  too  late  to  prevent 
you  from  starting  for  London.  I  learned  that  your  object 
was  to  invite  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  to  undertake  the  conduct 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  129 

of  this  case.  His  Grace  is  surprised,  Dr.  Huxtable,  that  you 
should  have  taken  such  a  step  without  consulting  him." 

"  When  I  learned  that  the  police  had  failed  —  " 

"  His  Grace  is  by  no  means  convinced  that  the  police  have 
failed." 

"  But  surely,  Mr.  Wilder  —  " 

"You  are  well  aware,  Dr.  Huxtable,  that  his  Grace  is  par- 
ticularly anxious  to  avoid  all  public  scandal.  He  prefers  to 
take  as  few  people  as  possible  into  his  confidence." 

"  The  matter  can  be  easily  remedied,"  said  the  brow-beaten 
doctor;  "Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  can  return  to  London  by  the 
morning  train." 

"Hardly  that,  doctor,  hardly  that,"  said  Holmes,  in  his 
blandest  voice.  "  This  northern  air  is  invigorating  and  pleas- 
ant, so  I  propose  to  spend  a  few  days  upon  your  moors, 
and  to  occupy  my  mind  as  best  I  may.  Whether  I  have 
the  shelter  of  your  roof  or  of  the  village  inn  is,  of  course,  for 
you  to  decide." 

I  could  see  that  the  unfortunate  doctor  was  in  the  last  stage 
of  indecision,  from  which  he  was  rescued  by  the  deep,  sonorous 
voice  of  the  red-bearded  Duke,  which  boomed  out  like  a  din- 
ner-gong. 

"I  agree  with  Mr.  Wilder,  Dr.  Huxtable,  that  you  would 
have  done  wisely  to  consult  me.  But  since  Mr.  Holmes  has 
already  been  taken  into  your  confidence,  it  would  indeed  be 
absurd  that  we  should  not  avail  ourselves  of  his  services.  Far 
from  going  to  the  inn,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  should  be  pleased  if  you 
would  come  and  stay  with  me  at  Holdernesse  Hall." 

"  I  thank  your  Grace.  For  the  purposes  of  my  investigation, 
I  think  that  it  would  be  wiser  for  me  to  remain  at  the  scene  of 
the  mystery." 


130 

"Just  as  you  like,  Mr.  Holmes.  Any  information  which 
Mr.  Wilder  or  I  can  give  you  is,  of  course,  at  your  disposal." 

"  It  will  probably  be  necessary  for  me  to  see  you  at  the  Hall," 
said  Holmes.  "I  would  only  ask  you  now,  sir,  whether  you 
have  formed  any  explanation  in  your  own  mind  as  to  the  mys- 
terious disappearance  of  your  son  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  I  have  not." 

"  Excuse  me  if  I  allude  to  that  which  is  painful  to  you,  but 
I  have  no  alternative.  Do  you  think  that  the  Duchess  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  matter  ?  " 

The  great  Minister  showed  perceptible  hesitation. 

"  I  do  not  think  so,"  he  said,  at  last. 

"The  other  most  obvious  explanation  is  that  the  child  has 
been  kidnapped  for  the  purpose  of  levying  ransom.  You  have 
not  had  any  demand  of  the  sort  ?  " 

"No,  sir." 

"One  more  question,  your  Grace.  I  understand  that 
you  wrote  to  your  son  upon  the  day  when  this  incident 
occurred." 

"No,  I  wrote  upon  the  day  before." 

"  Exactly.     But  he  received  it  on  that  day  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"Was  there  anything  in  your  letter  which  might  have  un- 
balanced him  or  induced  him  to  take  such  a  step  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  certainly  not." 

"  Did  you  post  that  letter  yourself  ?  " 

The  nobleman's  reply  was  interrupted  by  his  secretary,  who 
broke  in  with  some  heat. 

"  His  Grace  is  not  in  the  habit  of  posting  letters  himself,"  said 
he.  "This  letter  was  laid  with  others  upon  the  study  table, 
and  I  myself  put  them  in  the  post-bag." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  131 

"  You  are  sure  this  one  was  among  them  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  observed  it." 

"  How  many  letters  did  your  Grace  write  that  day  ?  " 

"Twenty  or  thirty.  I  have  a  large  correspondence.  But 
surely  this  is  somewhat  irrelevant  ?  " 

"  Not  entirely,"  said  Holmes. 

"  For  my  own  part,"  the  Duke  continued,  "  I  have  advised 
the  police  to  turn  their  attention  to  the  South  of  France.  I 
have  already  said  that  I  do  not  believe  that  the  Duchess  would 
encourage  so  monstrous  an  action,  but  the  lad  had  the  most 
wrong-headed  opinions,  and  it  is  possible  that  he  may  have 
fled  to  her,  aided  and  abetted  by  this  German.  I  think,  Dr. 
Huxtable,  that  we  will  now  return  to  the  Hall." 

I  could  see  that  there  were  other  questions  which  Holmes 
would  have  wished  to  put,  but  the  nobleman's  abrupt  manner 
showed  that  the  interview  was  at  an  end.  It  was  evident  that 
to  his  intensely  aristocratic  nature  this  discussion  of  his  intimate 
family  affairs  with  a  stranger  was  most  abhorrent,  and  that  he 
feared  lest  every  fresh  question  would  throw  a  fiercer  light  into 
the  discreetly  shadowed  corners  of  his  ducal  history. 

When  the  nobleman  and  his  secretary  had  left,  my  friend 
flung  himself  at  once  with  characteristic  eagerness  into  the 
investigation. 

The  boy's  chamber  was  carefully  examined,  and  yielded 
nothing  save  the  absolute  conviction  that  it  was  only  through 
the  window  that  he  could  have  escaped.  The  German  mas- 
ter's room  and  effects  gave  no  further  clue.  In  his  case  a 
trailer  of  ivy  had  given  way  under  his  weight,  and  we  saw  by 
the  light  of  a  lantern  the  mark  on  the  lawn  where  his  heels  had 
come  down.  That  one  dint  in  the  short,  green  grass  was  the 
only  material  witness  left  of  this  inexplicable  nocturnal  flight. 


132       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Sherlock  Holmes  left  the  house  alone,  and  only  returned  after 
eleven.  He  had  obtained  a  large  ordnance  map  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  this  he  brought  into  my  room,  where  he  laid  it 
out  on  the  bed,  and,  having  balanced  the  lamp  in  the  middle 


X^^iflU, 


•  ««CtO   SMAtf  \ 


HOLMES'  MAP  OF  THE  NEIGHBOURHOOD  OF  THE  SCHOOL 

of  it,  he  began  to  smoke  over  it,  and  occasionally  to  point  out 
objects  of  interest  with  the  reeking  amber  of  his  pipe. 

"  This  case  grows  upon  me,  Watson,"  said  he.  "  There  are 
decidedly  some  points  of  interest  in  connection  with  it.  In 
this  early  stage,  I  want  you  to  realize  those  geographical  features 
which  may  have  a  good  deal  to  do  with  our  investigation. 

"  Look  at  this  map.     This  dark  square  is  the  priory  school. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  188 

I'll  put  a  pin  in  it.  Now,  this  line  is  the  main  road.  You  see 
that  it  runs  east  and  west  past  the  school,  and  you  see  also  that 
there  is  no  side  road  for  a  mile  either  way.  If  these  two  folk 
passed  away  by  road,  it  was  this  road." 

"Exactly." 

"  By  a  singular  and  happy  chance,  we  are  able  to  some  extent 
to  check  what  passed  along  this  road  during  the  night  in  ques- 
tion. At  this  point,  where  my  pipe  is  now  resting,  a  county 
constable  was  on  duty  from  twelve  to  six.  It  is,  as  you  perceive, 
the  first  cross-road  on  the  east  side.  This  man  declares  that 
he  was  not  absent  from  his  post  for  an  instant,  and  he  is  posi- 
tive that  neither  boy  nor  man  could  have  gone  that  way  un- 
seen. I  have  spoken  with  this  policeman  to-night,  and  he 
appears  to  me  to  be  a  perfectly  reliable  person.  That  blocks 
this  end.  We  have  now  to  deal  with  the  other.  There  is  an 
inn  here,  the  Red  Bull,  the  landlady  of  which  was  ill.  She  had 
sent  to  Mackleton  for  a  doctor,  but  he  did  not  arrive  until  morn- 
ing, being  absent  at  another  case.  The  people  at  the  inn  were 
alert  all  night,  awaiting  his  coming,  and  one  or  other  of  them 
seems  to  have  continually  had  an  eye  upon  the  road.  They 
declare  that  no  one  passed.  If  their  evidence  is  good,  then  we 
are  fortunate  enough  to  be  able  to  block  the  west,  and  also  to 
be  able  to  say  that  the  fugitives  did  not  use  the  road  at  all." 

"  But  the  bicycle  ?  "  I  objected. 

"  Quite  so.  We  will  come  to  the  bicycle  presently.  To  con- 
tinue our  reasoning:  if  these  people  did  not  go  by  the  road, 
they  must  have  traversed  the  country  to  the  north  of  the  house 
or  to  the  south  of  the  house.  That  is  certain.  Let  us  weigh 
the  one  against  the  other.  On  the  south  of  the  house  is,  as 
you  perceive,  a  large  district  of  arable  land,  cut  up  into  small 
fields,  with  stone  walls  between  them.  There,  I  admit  that  a 


134       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

bicycle  is  impossible.  We  can  dismiss  the  idea.  We  turn  to 
the  country  on  the  north.  Here  there  lies  a  grove  of  trees, 
marked  as  the '  Ragged  Shaw,'  and  on  the  farther  side  stretches 
a  great  rolling  moor,  Lower  Gill  Moor,  extending  for  ten  miles 
and  sloping  gradually  upwards.  Here,  at  one  side  of  this 
wilderness,  is  Holdernesse  Hall  ten  miles  by  road,  but  only 
six  across  the  moor.  It  is  a  peculiarly  desolate  plain.  A  few 
moor  farmers  have  small  holdings,  where  they  rear  sheep  and 
cattle.  Except  these,  the  plover  and  the  curlew  are  the  only 
inhabitants  until  you  come  to  the  Chesterfield  high  road.  There 
is  a  church  there,  you  see,  a  few  cottages,  and  an  inn.  Beyond 
that  the  hills  become  precipitous.  Surely  it  is  here  to  the  north 
that  our  quest  must  lie." 

"  But  the  bicycle  ?  "  I  persisted. 

"Well,  well!"  said  Holmes,  impatiently.  "A  good  cyclist 
does  not  need  a  high  road.  The  moor  is  intersected  with  paths, 
and  the  moon  was  at  the  full.  Halloa !  what  is  this  ?  " 

There  was  an  agitated  knock  at  the  door,  and  an 
instant  afterwards  Dr.  Huxtable  was  in  the  room.  In 
his  hand  he  held  a  blue  cricket-cap,  with  a  white  chevron 
on  the  peak. 

"At  last  we  have  a  clue!"  he  cried.  "Thank  Heaven!  at 
last  we  are  on  the  dear  boy's  track !  It  is  his  cap." 

"  Where  was  it  found  ?  " 

"  In  the  van  of  the  gipsies  who  camped  on  the  moor.  They 
left  on  Tuesday.  To-day  the  police  traced  them  down  and 
examined  their  caravan.  This  was  found." 

"  How  do  they  account  for  it  ?  " 

"  They  shuffled  and  lied  —  said  that  they  found  it  on  the 
moor  on  Tuesday  morning.  They  know  where  he  is,  the  ras- 
cals! Thank  goodness,  they  are  all  safe  under  lock  and  key. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  135 

Either  the  fear  of  the  law  or  the  Duke's  purse  will  certainly  get 
out  of  them  all  that  they  know." 

"  So  far,  so  good,"  said  Holmes,  when  the  doctor  had  at  last 
left  the  room.  "  It  at  least  bears  out  the  theory  that  it  is  on 
the  side  of  the  Lower  Gill  Moor  that  we  must  hope  for  results. 
The  police  have  really  done  nothing  locally,  save  the  arrest  of 
these  gipsies.  Look  here,  Watson!  There  is  a  watercourse 
across  the  moor.  You  see  it  marked  here  in  the  map.  In 
some  parts  it  widens  into  a  morass.  This  is  particularly  so  in 
the  region  between  Holdernesse  Hall  and  the  school.  It  is 
vain  to  look  elsewhere  for  tracks  in  this  dry  weather,  but  at 
that  point  there  is  certainly  a  chance  of  some  record  being  left. 
I  will  call  you  early  to-morrow  morning,  and  you  and  I  will 
try  if  we  can  throw  some  little  light  upon  the  mystery." 

The  day  was  just  breaking  when  I  woke  to  find  the  long, 
thin  form  of  Holmes  by  my  bedside.  He  was  fully  dressed, 
and  had  apparently  already  been  out. 

"  I  have  done  the  lawn  and  the  bicycle  shed,"  said  he.  "  I 
have  also  had  a  ramble  through  the  Ragged  Shaw.  Now, 
Watson,  there  is  cocoa  ready  in  the  next  room.  I  must  beg  you 
to  hurry,  for  we  have  a  great  day  before  us." 

His  eyes  shone,  and  his  cheek  was  flushed  with  the  exhila- 
ration of  the  master  workman  who  sees  his  work  lie  ready  before 
him.  A  very  different  Holmes,  this  active,  alert  man,  from  the 
introspective  and  pallid  dreamer  of  Baker  Street.  I  felt,  as 
I  looked  upon  that  supple  figure,  alive  with  nervous  energy, 
that  it  was  indeed  a  strenuous  day  that  awaited  us. 

And  yet  it  opened  in  the  blackest  disappointment.  With 
high  hopes  we  struck  across  the  peaty,  russet  moor,  intersected 
with  a  thousand  sheep  paths,  until  we  came  to  the  broad,  light- 
green  belt  which  marked  the  morass  between  us  and  Holder- 


136  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

nesse.  Certainly,  if  the  lad  had  gone  homewards,  he  must 
have  passed  this,  and  he  could  not  pass  it  without  leaving  his 
traces.  But  no  sign  of  him  or  the  German  could  be  seen. 
With  a  darkening  face  my  friend  strode  along  the  margin, 
eagerly  observant  of  every  muddy  stain  upon  the  mossy  surface. 
Sheep-marks  there  were  in  profusion,  and  at  one  place,  some 
miles  down,  cows  had  left  their  tracks.  Nothing  more. 

"Check  number  one,"  said  Holmes,  looking  gloomily  over 
the  rolling  expanse  of  the  moor.  "There  is  another  morass 
down  yonder,  and  a  narrow  neck  between.  Halloa !  halloa ! 
halloa !  what  have  we  here  ?  " 

We  had  come  on  a  small  black  ribbon  of  pathway.  In  the 
middle  of  it,  clearly  marked  on  the  sodden  soil,  was  the  track 
of  a  bicycle. 

"  Hurrah ! "  I  cried.     "We  have  it." 

But  Holmes  was  shaking  his  head,  and  his  face  was  puzzled 
and  expectant  rather  than  joyous. 

"A  bicycle,  certainly,  but  not  the  bicycle,"  said  he.  "  I  am 
familiar  with  forty-two  different  impressions  left  by  tyres. 
This,  as  you  perceive,  is  a  Dunlop,  with  a  patch  upon  the  outer 
cover.  Heidegger's  tyres  were  Palmer's,  leaving  longitudinal 
stripes.  Aveling,  the  mathematical  master,  was  sure  upon  the 
point.  Therefore,  it  is  not  Heidegger's  track." 

"The  boy's,  then?" 

"Possibly,  if  we  could  prove  a  bicycle  to  have  been  in  his 
possession.  But  this  we  have  utterly  failed  to  do.  This  track, 
as  you  perceive,  was  made  by  a  rider  who  was  going  from  the 
direction  of  the  school." 

"Or  towards  it?" 

"No,  no,  my  dear  Watson.  The  more  deeply  sunk  impres- 
sion is,  of  course,  the  hind  wheel,  upon  which  the  weight  rests. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  137 

You  perceive  several  places  where  it  has  passed  across  and 
obliterated  the  more  shallow  mark  of  the  front  one.  It  was 
undoubtedly  heading  away  from  the  school.  It  may  or  may 
not  be  connected  with  our  inquiry,  but  we  will  follow  it  back- 
wards before  we  go  any  farther." 

We  did  so,  and  at  the  end  of  a  few  hundred  yards  lost  the 
tracks  as  we  emerged  from  the  boggy  portion  of  the  moor. 
Following  the  path  backwards,  we  picked  out  another  spot, 
where  a  spring  trickled  across  it.  Here,  once  again,  was  the 
mark  of  the  bicycle,  though  nearly  obliterated  by  the  hoofs 
of  cows.  After  that  there  was  no  sign,  but  the  path  ran  right 
on  into  Ragged  Shaw,  the  wood  which  backed  on  to  the  school. 
From  this  wood  the  cycle  must  have  emerged.  Holmes  sat 
down  on  a  boulder,  and  rested  his  chin  in  his  hands.  I  had 
smoked  two  cigarettes  before  he  moved. 

"Well,  well,"  said  he,  at  last.  "It  is,  of  course,  possible 
.that  a  cunning  man  might  change  the  tyre  of  his  bicycle  in  order 
to  leave  unfamiliar  tracks.  A  criminal  who  was  capable  of 
such  a  thought  is  a  man  whom  I  should  be  proud  to  do  business 
with.  We  will  leave  this  question  undecided  and  hark  back 
to  our  morass  again,  for  we  have  left  a  good  deal  unexplored." 

We  continued  our  systematic  survey  of  the  edge  of  the  sod- 
den portion  of  the  moor,  and  soon  our  perseverance  was  glo- 
riously rewarded.  Right  across  the  lower  part  of  the  bog  lay 
a  miry  path.  Holmes  gave  a  cry  of  delight  as  he  approached 
it.  An  impression  like  a  fine  bundle  of  telegraph  wires  ran 
down  the  centre  of  it.  It  was  the  Palmer  tyre. 

"  Here  is  Herr  Heidegger,  sure  enough! "  cried  Holmes,  exult- 
antly. "  My  reasoning  seems  to  have  been  pretty  sound,  Wat- 
son." 

"  I  congratulate  you." 


138       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"But  we  have  a  long  way  still  to  go.  Kindly  walk  clear 
of  the  path.  Now  let  us  follow  the  trail.  I  fear  that  it  will 
not  lead  very  far." 

We  found,  however,  as  we  advanced  that  this  portion  of  the 
moor  is  intersected  with  soft  patches,  and,  though  we  frequently 
lost  sight  of  the  track,  we  always  succeeded  in  picking  it  up 
once  more. 

"Do  you  observe,"  said  Holmes,  "that  the  rider  is  now  un- 
doubtedly forcing  the  pace?  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  it. 
Look  at  this  impression,  where  you  get  both  tyres  clear.  The 
one  is  as  deep  as  the  other.  That  can  only  mean  that  the  rider 
is  throwing  his  weight  on  to  the  handle-bar,  as  a  man  does  when 
he  is  sprinting.  By  Jove!  he  has  had  a  fall." 

There  was  a  broad,  irregular  smudge  covering  some  yards 
of  the  track.  Then  there  were  a  few  footmarks,  and  the  tyre 
reappeared  once  more. 

"  A  side-slip,"  I  suggested. 

Holmes  held  up  a  crumpled  branch  of  flowering  gorse.  To 
my  horror,  I  perceived  that  the  yellow  blossoms  were  all  dab- 
bled with  crimson.  On  the  path,  too,  and  among  the  heather 
were  dark  stains  of  clotted  blood. 

"Bad!"  said  Holmes.  "Bad!  Stand  clear,  Watson!  Not 
an  unnecessary  footstep!  What  do  I  read  here?  He  fell 
wounded  —  he  stood  up  —  he  remounted  —  he  proceeded.  But 
there  is  no  other  track.  Cattle  on  this  side  path.  He  was 
surely  not  gored  by  a  bull  ?  Impossible !  But  I  see  no  traces 
of  anyone  else.  We  must  push  on,  Watson.  Surely,  with 
stains  as  well  as  the  track  to  guide  us,  he  cannot  escape  us  now." 

Our  search  was  not  a  very  long  one.  The  tracks  of  the  tyre 
began  to  curve  fantastically  upon  the  wet  and  shining  path. 
Suddenly,  as  I  looked  ahead,  the  gleam  of  metal  caught  my  eye 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  139 

from  amid  the  thick  gorse-bushes.  Out  of  them  we  dragged 
a  bicycle,  Palmer-tyred,  one  pedal  bent,  and  the  whole  front  of 
it  horribly  smeared  and  slobbered  with  blood.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  bushes,  a  shoe  was  projecting.  We  ran  round,  and 
there  lay  the  unfortunate  rider.  He  was  a  tall  man,  full-beard- 
ed, with  spectacles,  one  glass  of  which  had  been  knocked  out. 
The  cause  of  his  death  was  a  frightful  blow  upon  the  head, 
which  had  crushed  in  part  of  his  skull.  That  he  could  have 
gone  on  after  receiving  such  an  injury  said  much  for  the  vitality 
and  courage  of  the  man.  He  wore  shoes,  but  no  socks,  and  his 
open  coat  disclosed  a  night-shirt  beneath  it.  It  was  undoubt- 
edly the  German  master. 

Holmes  turned  the  body  over  reverently,  and  examined  it 
with  great  attention.  He  then  sat  in  deep  thought  for  a  time, 
and  I  could  see  by  his  ruffled  brow  that  this  grim  discovery  had 
not,  in  his  opinion,  advanced  us  much  in  our  inquiry. 

"  It  is  a  little  difficult  to  know  what  to  do,  Watson,"  said  he, 
at  last.  "  My  own  inclinations  are  to  push  this  inquiry  on,  for 
we  have  already  lost  so  much  time  that  we  cannot  afford  to 
waste  another  hour.  On  the  other  hand,  we  are  bound  to 
inform  the  police  of  the  discovery,  and  to  see  that  this  poor 
fellow's  body  is  looked  after." 

"  I  could  take  a  note  back." 

"But  I  need  your  company  and  assistance.  Wait  a  bit! 
There  is  a  fellow  cutting  peat  up  yonder.  Bring  him  over  here, 
and  he  will  guide  the  police." 

I  brought  the  peasant  across,  and  Holmes  dispatched  the 
frightened  man  with  a  note  to  Dr.  Huxtable. 

"Now,  Watson,"  said  he,  "we  have  picked  up  two  clues 
this  morning.  One  is  the  bicycle  with  the  Palmer  tyre,  and  we 
see  what  that  has  led  to.  The  other  is  the  bicycle  with  the 


140       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

patched  Dtmlop.  Before  we  start  to  investigate  that,  let  us 
try  to  realize  what  we  do  know,  so  as  to  make  the  most  of  it,  and 
to  separate  the  essential  from  the  accidental. " 

"  First  of  all,  I  wish  to  impress  upon  you  that  the  boy  certainly 
left  of  his  own  free-will.  He  got  down  from  his  window  and 
he  went  off,  either  alone  or  with  someone.  That  is  sure." 

I  assented. 

"  Well,  now,  let  us  turn  to  this  unfortunate  German  master. 
The  boy  was  fully  dressed  when  he  fled.  Therefore,  he  fore- 
saw what  he  would  do.  But  the  German  went  without  his 
socks.  He  certainly  acted  on  very  short  notice." 

"Undoubtedly." 

"  Why  did  he  go  ?  Because,  from  his  bedroom  window,  he 
saw  the  flight  of  the  boy;  because  he  wished  to  overtake  him 
and  bring  him  back.  He  seized  his  bicycle,  pursued  the  lad, 
and  in  pursuing  him  met  his  death." 

"  So  it  would  seem." 

"Now  I  come  to  the  critical  part  of  my  argument.  The 
natural  action  of  a  man  in  pursuing  a  little  boy  would  be  to  run 
after  him.  He  would  know  that  he  could  overtake  him.  But 
the  German  does  not  do  so.  He  turns  to  his  bicycle.  I  am 
told  that  he  was  an  excellent  cyclist.  He  would  not  do  this,  if 
he  did  not  see  that  the  boy  had  some  swift  means  of  escape." 

"The  other  bicycle." 

"Let  us  continue  our  reconstruction.  He  meets  his  death 
five  miles  from  the  school  —  not  by  a  bullet,  mark  you,  which 
even  a  lad  might  conceivably  discharge,  but  by  a  savage  blow 
dealt  by  a  vigorous  arm.  The  lad,  then,  had  a  companion  in 
his  flight.  And  the  flight  was  a  swift  one,  since  it  took  five 
miles  before  an  expert  cyclist  could  overtake  them.  Yet  we 
survey  the  ground  round  the  scene  of  the  tragedy.  What  do 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  141 

we  find  ?  A  few  cattle-tracks,  nothing  more.  I  took  a  wide 
sweep  round,  and  there  is  no  path  within  fifty  yards.  Another 
cyclist  could  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  actual  murder, 
nor  were  there  any  human  footmarks." 

"Holmes,"  I  cried,  "this  is  impossible." 

"Admirable!"  he  said.  "A  most  illuminating  remark.  It 
is  impossible  as  I  state  it,  and  therefore  I  must  in  some 
respect  have  stated  it  wrong.  Yet  you  saw  for  yourself.  Can 
you  suggest  any  fallacy  ?  " 

"  He  could  not  have  fractured  his  skull  in  a  fall  ?  " 

"  In  a  morass,  Watson  ?  " 

"  I  am  at  my  wits'  end." 

"Tut,  tut,  we  have  solved  some  worse  problems.  At  least 
we  have  plenty  of  material,  if  we  can  only  use  it.  Come,  then, 
and,  having  exhausted  the  Palmer,  let  us  see  what  the  Dunlop 
with  the  patched  cover  has  to  offer  us." 

We  picked  up  the  track  and  followed  it  onwards  for  some 
distance,  but  soon  the  moor  rose  into  a  long,  heather-tufted 
curve,  and  we  left  the  watercourse  behind  us.  No  further 
help  from  tracks  could  be  hoped  for.  At  the  spot  where  we  saw 
the  last  of  the  Dunlop  tyre  it  might  equally  have  led  to  Holder- 
nesse  Hall,  the  stately  towers  of  which  rose  some  miles  to  our 
left,  or  to  a  low,  grey  village  which  lay  in  front  of  us,  and 
marked  the  position  of  the  Chesterfield  high  road. 

As  we  approached  the  forbidding  and  squalid  inn,  with  the 
sign  of  a  game-cock  above  the  door,  Holmes  gave  a  sudden 
groan,  and  clutched  me  by  the  shoulder  to  save  himself  from 
falling.  He  had  had  one  of  those  violent  strains  of  the  ankle 
which  leave  a  man  helpless.  With  difficulty  he  limped  up  to 
the  door,  where  a  squat,  dark,  elderly  man  was  smoking  a  black 
clay  pipe. 


142       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  How  are  you,  Mr.  Reuben  Hayes  ?  "  said  Holmes. 

"  Who  are  you,  and  how  do  you  get  my  name  so  pat  ?  "  the 
countryman  answered,  with  a  suspicious  flash  of  a  pair  of  cun- 
ning eyes. 

"Well,  it's  printed  on  the  board  above  your  head.  It's 
easy  to  see  a  man  who  is  master  of  his  own  house. 
I  suppose  you  haven't  such  a  thing  as  a  carriage  in  your 
stables  ?  " 

"No,  I  have  not." 

"  I  can  hardly  put  my  foot  to  the  ground." 

"  Don't  put  it  to  the  ground." 

"But  I  can't  walk." 

"Well,  then,  hop." 

Mr.  Reuben  Hayes'  manner  was  far  from  gracious,  but 
Holmes  took  it  with  admirable  good-humour. 

"Look  here  my  man,"  said  he.  "This  is  really  rather  an 
awkward  fix  for  me.  I  don't  mind  how  I  get  on." 

"  Neither  do  I,"  said  the  morose  landlord. 

"  The  matter  is  very  important.  I  would  offer  you  a  sover- 
eign for  the  use  of  a  bicycle." 

The  landlord  pricked  up  his  ears. 

"  Where  do  you  want  to  go  ?  " 

"ToHoldernesseHall." 

"  Pals  of  the  Dook,  I  suppose  ? "  said  the  landlord,  survey- 
ing our  mud-stained  garments  with  ironical  eyes. 

Holmes  laughed  good  naturedly. 

"  He'll  be  glad  to  see  us,  anyhow." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  we  bring  him  news  of  his  lost  son." 

The  landlord  gave  a  very  visible  start. 

"  What,  you're  on  his  track  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  143 

"He  has  been  heard  of  in  Liverpool.  They  expect  to  get 
him  every  hour." 

Again  a  swift  change  passed  over  the  heavy,  unshaven  face. 
His  manner  was  suddenly  genial. 

"I've  less  reason  to  wish  the  Dook  well  than  most  men," 
said  he,  "  for  I  was  his  head  coachman  once,  and  cruel  bad  he 
treated  me.  It  was  him  that  sacked  me  without  a  character 
on  the  word  of  a  lying  corn-chandler.  But  I'm  glad  to  hear 
that  the  young  lord  was  heard  of  in  Liverpool,  and  I'll  help  you 
to  take  the  news  to  the  Hall." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Holmes.  "We'll  have  some  food  first. 
Then  you  can  bring  round  the  bicycle." 

"I  haven't  got  a  bicycle." 

Holmes  held  up  a  sovereign. 

"  I  tell  you,  man,  that  I  haven't  got  one.  I'll  let  you  have 
two  horses  as  far  as  the  Hall." 

"Well,  well,"  said  Holmes,  "we'll  talk  about  it  when  we've 
had  something  to  eat." 

When  we  were  left  alone  in  the  stone-flagged  kitchen,  it  was 
astonishing  how  rapidly  that  sprained  ankle  recovered.  It 
was  nearly  nightfall,  and  we  had  eaten  nothing  since  early 
morning,  so  that  we  spent  some  time  over  our  meal.  Holmes 
was  lost  in  thought,  and  once  or  twice  he  walked  over  to  the 
window  and  stared  earnestly  out.  It  opened  on  to  a  squalid 
courtyard.  In  the  far  corner  was  a  smithy,  where  a  grimy  lad 
was  at  work.  On  the  other  side  were  the  stables.  Holmes 
had  sat  down  again  after  one  of  these  excursions,  when  he  sud- 
denly sprang  out  of  his  chair  with  a  loud  exclamation. 

"By  Heaven,  Watson,  I  believe  that  I've  got  it!"  he  cried. 
"Yes,  yes,  it  must  be  so.  Watson,  do  you  remember  seeing 
any  cow-tracks  to-day  ?  " 


144  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"Yes,  several." 

"Where?" 

"Well,  everywhere.  They  were  at  the  morass,  and  again 
on  the  path,  and  again  near  where  poor  Heidegger  met  his 
death." 

"  Exactly.  Well,  now,  Watson,  how  many  cows  did  you  see 
on  the  moor  ?  " 

"  I  don't  remember  seeing  any." 

"Strange,  Watson,  that  we  should  see  tracks  all  along  our 
line,  but  never  a  cow  on  the  whole  moor.  Very  strange,  Watson, 
eh?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  strange." 

"Now,  Watson,  make  an  effort,  throw  your  mind  back. 
Can  you  see  those  tracks  upon  the  path  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  can." 

"Can  you  recall  that  the  tracks  were  sometimes  like  that, 
Watson " —  he  arranged  a  number  of  bread-crumbs  in  this 
fashion  —  :  :  :  :  :  — "  and  sometimes  like  this  " — :  .  :  .  :  .  :  . 
— "  and  occasionally  like  this  " —  .*.'.•.  "  Can  you  re- 
member that  ?  " 

"  No,  I  cannot." 

"  But  I  can.  I  could  swear  to  it.  However,  we  will  go  back 
at  our  leisure  and  verify  it.  What  a  blind  beetle  I  have  been, 
not  to  draw  my  conclusion ! " 

"  And  what  is  your  conclusion  ?  " 

"  Only  that  it  is  a  remarkable  cow  which  walks,  canters,  and 
gallops.  By  George!  Watson,  it  was  no  brain  of  a  country 
publican  that  thought  out  such  a  blind  as  that.  The  coast 
seems  to  be  clear,  save  for  that  lad  in  the  smithy.  Let  us  slip 
out  and  see  what  we  can  see." 

There  were  two  rough-haired,  unkempt  horses  in  the  tumble- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  145 

down  stable.  Holmes  raised  the  hind  leg  of  one  of  them  and 
laughed  aloud. 

"  Old  shoes,  but  newly  shod  —  old  shoes,  but  new  nails. 
This  case  deserves  to  be  a  classic.  Let  us  go  across  to  the 
smithy." 

The  lad  continued  his  work  without  regarding  us.  I  saw 
Holmes'  eye  darting  to  right  and  left  among  the  litter  of 
iron  and  wood  which  was  scattered  abov_"-  the  floor.  Sud- 
denly, however,  we  heard  a  step  behind  us,  and  there  was  the 
landlord,  his  heavy  eyebrows  drawn  down  over  his  savage  eyes, 
his  swarthy  features  convulsed  with  passion.  He  held  a  short, 
metal-headed  stick  in  his  hand,  and  he  advanced  in  so 
menacing  a  fashion  that  I  was  right  glad  to  feel  the  revolver 
in  my  pocket. 

'*  You  infernal  spies ! "  the  man  cried.  **  What  are  you  doing 
there?" 

"  Why,  Mr.  Reuben  Hayes,"  said  Holmes,  coolly,  "  one  might 
think  that  you  were  afraid  of  our  finding  something  out." 

The  man  mastered  himself  with  a  violent  effort,  and  his  grim 
mouth  loosened  into  a  false  laugh,  which  was  more  menacing 
than  his  frown. 

"  You're  welcome  to  all  you  can  find  out  in  my  smithy,"  said 
he.  "  But  look  here,  mister,  I  don't  care  for  folk  poking  about 
my  place  without  my  leave,  so  the  sooner  you  pay  your  score 
and  get  out  of  this  the  better  I  shall  be  pleased." 

"All  right,  Mr.  Hayes,  no  harm  meant,"  said  Holmes. 
"  We  have  been  having  a  look  at  your  horses,  but  I  think  I'll 
walk,  after  all.  It's  not  far,  I  believe." 

"Not  more  than  two  miles  to  the  Hall  gates.  That's  the 
road  to  the  left."  He  watched  us  with  sullen  eyes  until  we  had 
left  his  premises. 


146       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

We  did  not  go  very  far  along  the  road,  for  Holmes  stopped 
the  instant  that  the  curve  hid  us  from  the  landlord's  view. 

"We  were  warm,  as  the  children  say,  at  that  inn,"  said  he. 
"I  seem  to  grow  colder  every  step  that  I  take  away  from  it. 
No,  no,  I  can't  possibly  leave  it." 

"  I  am  convinced,"  said  I,  "  that  this  Reuben  Hayes  knows 
all  about  it.  A  more  self-evident  villain  I  never  saw." 

"  Oh !  he  impressed  you  in  that  way,  did  he  ?  There  are  the 
horses,  there  is  the  smithy.  Yes,  it  is  an  interesting  place,  this 
Fighting  Cock.  I  think  we  shall  have  another  look  at  it  in  an 
unobtrusive  way." 

A  long,  sloping  hillside,  dotted  with  grey  limestone  boulders, 
stretched  behind  us.  We  had  turned  off  the  road,  and  were 
making  our  way  up  the  hill,  when,  looking  in  the  direction  of 
Holdernesse  Hall,  I  saw  a  cyclist  coming  swiftly  along. 

"Get  down,  Watson!"  cried  Holmes,  with  a  heavy  hand 
upon  my  shoulder.  We  had  hardly  sunk  from  view  when  the 
man  flew  past  us  on  the  road.  Amid  a  rolling  cloud  of  dust,  I 
caught  a  glimpse  of  a  pale,  agitated  face  —  a  face  with  horror 
in  every  lineament,  the  mouth  open,  the  eyes  staring  wildly  in 
front.  It  was  like  some  strange  caricature  of  the  dapper  James 
Wilder  whom  we  had  seen  the  night  before. 

"The  Duke's  secretary!"  cried  Holmes.  "Come,  Watson, 
let  us  see  what  he  does." 

We  scrambled  from  rock  to  rock,  until  in  a  few  moments  we 
had  made  our  way  to  a  point  from  which  we  could  see  the  front 
door  of  the  inn.  Wilder's  bicycle  was  leaning  against  the  wall 
beside  it.  No  one  was  moving  about  the  house,  nor  could  we 
catch  a  glimpse  of  any  faces  at  the  windows.  Slowly  the  twi- 
light crept  down  as  the  sun  sank  behind  the  high  towers  of 
Holdernesse  Hall.  Then,  in  the  gloom,  we  saw  the  two  side- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  147 

lamps  of  a  trap  light  up  in  the  stable-yard  of  the  inn,  and  shortly 
afterwards  heard  the  rattle  of  hoofs,  as  it  wheeled  out  into  the 
road  and  tore  off  at  a  furious  pace  in  the  direction  of  Chester- 
field. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  that,  Watson  ?  "  Holmes  whispered. 

"  It  looks  like  a  flight." 

"  A  single  man  in  a  dog-cart,  so  far  as  I  could  see.  Well,  it 
certainly  was  not  Mr.  James  Wilder,  for  there  he  is  at  the  door." 

A  red  square  of  light  had  sprung  out  of  the  darkness.  In  the 
middle  of  it  was  the  black  figure  of  the  secretary,  his  head 
advanced,  peering  out  into  the  night.  It  was  evident  that  he 
was  expecting  someone.  Then  at  last  there  were  steps  in  the 
road,  a  second  figure  was  visible  for  an  instant  against  the  light, 
the  door  shut,  and  all  was  black  once  more.  Five  minutes  later 
a  lamp  was  lit  in  a  room  upon  the  first  floor. 

"  It  seems  to  be  a  curious  class  of  custom  that  is  done  by  the 
Fighting  Cock,"  said  Holmes. 

"  The  bar  is  on  the  other  side." 

"  Quite  so.  These  are  what  one  may  call  the  private  guests. 
Now,  what  in  the  world  is  Mr.  James  Wilder  doing  in  that  den 
at  this  hour  of  night,  and  who  is  the  companion  who  comes  to 
meet  him  there  ?  Come,  Watson,  we  must  really  take  a  risk, 
and  try  to  investigate  this  a  little  more  closely." 

Together  we  stole  down  to  the  road  and  crept  across  to  the 
door  of  the  inn.  The  bicycle  still  leaned  against  the  wall. 
Holmes  struck  a  match  and  held  it  to  the  back  wheel,  and  I 
heard  him  chuckle  as  the  light  fell  upon  a  patched  Dunlop  tyre. 
Up  above  us  was  the  lighted  window. 

"I  must  have  a  peep  through  that,  Watson.  If  you  bend 
your  back  and  support  yourself  upon  the  wall,  I  think  that  I 
can  manage." 


148  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

An  instant  later,  his  feet  were  on  my  shoulders,  but  he  was 
hardly  up  before  he  was  down  again. 

"  Come,  my  friend,"  said  he,  "  our  day's  work  has  been 
quite  long  enough.  I  think  that  we  have  gathered  all  that  we 
can.  It's  a  long  walk  to  the  school,  and  the  sooner  we  get 
started  the  better." 

He  hardly  opened  his  lips  during  that  weary  trudge  across 
the  moor,  nor  would  he  enter  the  school  when  he  reached  it, 
but  went  on  to  Mackleton  Station,  whence  he  could  send  some 
telegrams.  Late  at  night  I  heard  him  consoling  Dr.  Huxtable, 
prostrated  by  the  tragedy  of  his  master's  death,  and  later  still 
he  entered  my  room  as  alert  and  vigorous  as  he  had  been  when 
he  started  in  the  morning.  "  All  goes  well,  my  friend,"  said  he. 
"I  promise  that  before  to-morrow  evening  we  shall  have 
reached  the  solution  of  the  mystery." 

At  eleven  o'clock  next  morning  my  friend  and  I  were  walk- 
ing up  the  famous  yew  avenue  of  Holdernesse  Hall.  We  were 
ushered  through  the  magnificent  Elizabethan  doorway  and 
into  his  Grace's  study.  There  we  found  Mr.  James  Wilder, 
demure  and  courtly,  but  with  some  trace  of  that  wild  terror 
of  the  night  before  still  lurking  in  his  furtive  eyes  and  in  his 
twitching  features. 

"  You  have  come  to  see  his  Grace  ?  I  am  sorry,  but  the  fact 
is  that  the  Duke  is  far  from  well.  He  has  been  very  much 
upset  by  the  tragic  news.  We  received  a  telegram  from  Dr. 
Huxtable  yesterday  afternoon,  which  told  us  of  your  discovery." 

**  I  must  see  the  Duke,  Mr.  Wilder." 

"  But  he  is  in  his  room." 

"  Then  I  must  go  to  his  room." 

**  I  believe  he  is  in  his  bed." 


AN     INSTANT     1.  A  T  E  K  ,     HIS    K  t  K  T    \VEKK    ON    MY     S  II  O  I    1.  I)  K  K  S 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  149 

"  I  will  see  him  there.  " 

Holmes'  cold  and  inexorable  manner  showed  the  secretary 
that  it  was  useless  to  argue  with  him. 

"Very  good,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  will  tell  him  that  you  are 
here. " 

After  an  hour's  delay,  the  great  nobleman  appeared.  His 
face  was  more  cadaverous  than  ever,  his  shoulders  had  rounded, 
and  he  seemed  to  me  to  be  an  altogether  older  man  than  he  had 
been  the  morning  before.  He  greeted  us  with  a  stately  cour- 
tesy and  seated  himself  at  his  desk,  his  red  beard  streaming 
down  on  the  table. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  "  said  he. 

But  my  friend's  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  secretary,  who 
stood  by  his  master's  chair. 

*'  I  think,  your  Grace,  that  I  could  speak  more  freely  in  Mr. 
Wilder's  absence. " 

The  man  turned  a  shade  paler  and  cast  a  malignant  glance 
at  Holmes. 

"  If  your  Grace  wishes  —  " 

"Yes,  yes,  you  had  better  go.  Now,  Mr.  Holmes,  what 
have  you  to  say  ?  " 

My  friend  waited  until  the  door  had  closed  behind  the  retreat- 
ing secretary. 

"  The  fact  is,  your  Grace, "  said  he,  "  that  my  colleague,  Dr. 
Watson,  and  myself  had  an  assurance  from  Dr.  Huxtable  that 
a  reward  had  been  offered  in  this  case.  I  should  like  to  have 
this  confirmed  from  your  own  lips.  " 

"Certainly,  Mr.  Holmes." 

"  It  amounted,  if  I  am  correctly  informed,  to  five  thousand 
pounds  to  anyone  who  will  tell  you  where  your  son  is  ?  " 

"Exactly." 


150       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

.  "  And  another  thousand  to  the  man  who  will  name  the  per- 
son or  persons  who  keep  him  in  custody  ?  " 

"Exactly." 

"Under  the  latter  heading  is  included,  no  doubt,  not  only 
those  who  may  have  taken  him  away,  but  also  those  who  con- 
spire to  keep  him  in  his  present  position  ?  " 

"Yes,  yes,"  cried  the  Duke,  impatiently.  "If  you  do  your 
work  well,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  you  will  have  no  reason  to 
complain  of  niggardly  treatment." 

My  friend  rubbed  his  thin  hands  together  with  an  appear- 
ance of  avidity  which  was  a  surprise  to  me,  who  knew  his  frugal 
tastes. 

"I  fancy  that  I  see  your  Grace's  cheque-book  upon  the 
table,"  said  he.  "  I  should  be  glad  if  you  would  make  me  out 
a  cheque  for  six  thousand  pounds.  It  would  be  as  well,  per- 
haps, for  you  to  cross  it.  The  Capital  and  Counties  Bank, 
Oxford  Street  branch,  are  my  agents." 

His  Grace  sat  very  stern  and  upright  in  his  chair,  and  looked 
stonily  at  my  friend. 

"Is  this  a  joke,  Mr.  Holmes?  It  is  hardly  a  subject  for 
pleasantry." 

"  Not  at  all,  your  Grace.  I  was  never  more  earnest  in  my 
life." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  then  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  I  have  earned  the  reward.  I  know  where  your 
son  is,  and  I  know  some,  at  least,  of  those  who  are  holding  him." 

The  Duke's  beard  had  turned  more  aggressively  red  than 
ever  against  his  ghastly  white  face. 

"  Where  is  he  ?  "  he  gasped. 

"  He  is,  or  was  last  night,  at  the  Fighting  Cock  Inn,  about 
two  miles  from  your  park  gate." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  151 

The  Duke  fell  back  in  his  chair. 

"  And  whom  do  you  accuse  ?  " 

Sherlock  Holmes'  answer  was  an  astounding  one.  He 
stepped  swiftly  forward  and  touched  the  Duke  upon  the 
shoulder, 

"  I  accuse  you,"  said  he.  "  And  now,  your  Grace,  I'll  trouble 
you  for  that  cheque." 

Never  shall  I  forget  the  Duke's  appearance  as  he  sprang  up 
and  clawed  with  his  hands,  like  one  who  is  sinking  into  an  abyss. 
Then,  with  an  extraordinary  effort  of  aristocratic  self-command, 
he  sat  down  and  sank  his  face  in  his  hands.  It  was  some  min- 
utes before  he  spoke. 

"  How  much  do  you  know  ?  "  he  asked  at  last,  without  rais- 
ing his  head. 

"  I  saw  you  together  last  night." 

"  Does  anyone  else  beside  your  friend  know  ?  " 

"  I  have  spoken  to  no  one." 

The  Duke  took  a  pen  in  his  quivering  fingers  and  opened 
his  cheque-book. 

"  I  shall  be  as  good  as  my  word,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  am  about 
to  write  your  cheque,  however  unwelcome  the  information 
which  you  have  gained  may  be  to  me.  When  the  offer  was 
first  made,  I  little  thought  the  turn  which  events  might 
take.  But  you  and  your  friend  are  men  of  discretion, 
Mr.  Holmes?" 

"  I  hardly  understand  your  Grace." 

"  I  must  put  it  plainly,  Mr.  Holmes.  If  only  you  two  know 
of  this  incident,  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  go  any  farther. 
I  think  twelve  thousand  pounds  is  the  sum  that  I  owe  you, 
is  it  not  ?  " 

But  Holmes  smiled  and  shook  his  head. 


152  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  I  fear,  your  Grace,  that  matters  can  hardly  be  arranged  so 
easily.  There  is  the  death  of  this  schoolmaster  to  be  accounted 
for." 

"But  James  knew  nothing  of  that.  You  cannot  hold  him 
responsible  for  that.  It  was  the  work  of  this  brutal  ruffian 
whom  he  had  the  misfortune  to  employ." 

"I  must  take  the  view,  your  Grace,  that  when  a  man  em- 
barks upon  a  crime,  he  is  morally  guilty  of  any  other  crime 
which  may  spring  from  it." 

"Morally,  Mr.  Holmes.  No  doubt  you  are  right.  But 
surely  not  in  the  eyes  of  the  law.  A  man  cannot  be  condemned 
for  a  murder  at  which  he  was  not  present,  and  which  he  loathes 
and  abhors  as  much  as  you  do.  The  instant  that  he  heard  of 
it  he  made  a  complete  confession  to  me,  so  filled  was  he  with 
horror  and  remorse.  He  lost  not  an  hour  in  breaking  entirely 
with  the  murderer.  Oh,  Mr.  Holmes,  you  must  save  him  — 
you  must  save  him !  I  tell  you  that  you  must  save  him ! "  The 
Duke  had  dropped  the  last  attempt  at  self-command,  and  was 
pacing  the  room  with  a  convulsed  face  and  with  his  clenched 
hands  raving  in  the  air.  At  last  he  mastered  himself,  and  sat 
down  once  more  at  his  desk.  "  I  appreciate  your  conduct  in 
coming  here  before  you  spoke  to  anyone  else,"  said  he.  "At 
least,  we  may  take  counsel  how  far  we  can  minimize  this  hideous 
scandal." 

"Exactly,"  said  Holmes.  "I  think,  your  Grace,  that  this 
can  only  be  done  by  absolute  frankness  between  us.  I  am 
disposed  to  help  your  Grace  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  but,  in 
order  to  do  so,  I  must  understand  to  the  last  detail  how  the  mat- 
ter stands.  I  realize  that  your  words  applied  to  Mr.  James 
Wilder,  and  that  he  is  not  the  murderer  " 

"  No,  the  murderer  has  escaped." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  153 

Sherlock  Holmes  smiled  demurely. 

"  Your  Grace  can  hardly  have  heard  of  any  small  reputation 
which  I  possess,  or  you  would  not  imagine  that  it  is  so  easy  to 
escape  me.  Mr.  Reuben  Hayes  was  arrested  at  Chesterfield, 
on  my  information,  at  eleven  o'clock  last  night.  I  had  a  tele- 
gram from  the  head  of  the  local  police  before  I  left  the  school 
this  morning." 

The  Duke  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  stared  with  amaze- 
ment at  my  friend. 

"  You  seem  to  have  powers  that  are  hardly  human,"  said  he. 
"  So  Reuben  Hayes  is  taken  ?  I  am  right  glad  to  hear  it,  if  it 
will  not  react  upon  the  fate  of  James." 

"  Your  secretary  ?  " 

"No,  sir,  my  son." 

It  was  Holmes'  turn  to  look  astonished. 

"I  confess  that  this  is  entirely  new  to  me,  your  Grace.  I 
must  beg  you  to  be  more  explicit." 

"I  will  conceal  nothing  from  you.  I  agree  with  you  that 
complete  frankness,  however  painful  it  may  be  to  me,  is  the 
best  policy  in  this  desperate  situation  to  which  James'  folly 
and  jealousy  have  reduced  us.  When  I  was  a  very  young  man, 
Mr.  Holmes,  I  loved  with  such  a  love  as  comes  only  once  in  a 
lifetime.  I  offered  the  lady  marriage,  but  she  refused  it  on  the 
grounds  that  such  a  match  might  mar  my  career.  Had  she 
lived,  I  would  certainly  never  have  married  anyone  else.  She 
died,  and  left  this  one  child,  whom  for  her  sake  I  have  cherished 
and  cared  for.  I  could  not  acknowledge  the  paternity  to  the 
world,  but  I  gave  him  the  best  of  educations,  and  since  he  came 
to  manhood  I  have  kept  him  near  my  person.  He  surprised  my 
secret,  and  has  presumed  ever  since  upon  the  claim  which  he 
has  upon  me,  and  upon  his  power  of  provoking  a  scandal 


154  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

which  would  be  abhorrent  to  me.  His  presence  had  something 
to  do  with  the  unhappy  issue  of  my  marriage.  Above  all,  he 
hated  my  young  legitimate  heir  from  the  first  with  a  persistent 
hatred.  You  may  well  ask  me  why,  under  these  circumstances, 
I  still  kept  James  under  my  roof.  I  answer  that  it  was  because 
I  could  see  his  mother's  face  in  his,  and  that  for  her  dear  sake 
there  was  no  end  to  my  long-suffering.  All  her  pretty  ways 
too  —  there  was  not  one  of  them  which  he  could  not  suggest 
and  bring  back  to  my  memory.  I  could  not  send  him  away. 
But  I  feared  so  much  lest  he  should  do  Arthur  —  that  is,  Lord 
Saltire  —  a  mischief,  that  I  dispatched  him  for  safety  to  Dr. 
Huxtable's  school. 

"James  came  into  contact  with  this  fellow  Hayes,  because 
the  man  was  a  tenant  of  mine,  and  James  acted  as  agent.  The 
fellow  was  a  rascal  from  the  beginning,  but,  in  some  extraordi- 
nary way,  James  became  intimate  with  him.  He  had  always  a 
taste  for  low  company.  When  James  determined  to  kidnap 
Lord  Saltire,  it  was  of  this  man's  service  that  he  availed  himself. 
You  remember  that  I  wrote  to  Arthur  upon  that  last  day.  Well, 
James  opened  the  letter  and  inserted  a  note  asking  Arthur  to 
meet  him  in  a  little  wood  called  the  Ragged  Shaw,  which  is 
near  to  the  school.  He  used  the  Duchess'  name,  and  in  that 
way  got  the  boy  to  come.  That  evening  James  bicycled  over 
—  I  am  telling  you  what  he  has  himself  confessed  to  me  —  and 
he  told  Arthur,  whom  he  met  in  the  wood,  that  his  mother 
longed  to  see  him,  that  she  was  awaiting  him  on  the  moor,  and 
that  if  he  would  come  back  into  the  wood  at  midnight  he  would 
find  a  man  with  a  horse,  who  would  take  him  to  her.  Poor 
Arthur  fell  into  the  trap.  He  came  to  the  appointment,  and 
found  this  fellow  Hayes  with  a  led  pony.  Arthur  mounted, 
and  they  set  off  together.  It  appears  —  though  this  James 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  155 

only  heard  yesterday  —  that  they  were  pursued,  that  Hayes 
struck  the  pursuer  with  his  stick,  and  that  the  man  died  of  his 
injuries.  Hayes  brought  Arthur  to  his  public-house,  the  Fight- 
ing Cock,  where  he  was  confined  in  an  upper  room,  under  the 
care  of  Mrs.  Hayes,  who  is  a  kindly  woman,  but  entirely  under 
the  control  of  her  brutal  husband. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  I  first 
saw  you  two  days  ago.  I  had  no  more  idea  of  the  truth  than 
you.  You  will  ask  me  what  was  James'  motive  in  doing  such 
a  deed.  I  answer  that  there  was  a  great  deal  which  was  un- 
reasoning and  fanatical  in  the  hatred  which  he  bore  my  heir. 
In  his  view  he  should  himself  have  been  heir  of  all  my  estates, 
and  he  deeply  resented  those  social  laws  which  made  it  im- 
possible. At  the  same  time,  he  had  a  definite  motive  also.  He 
was  eager  that  I  should  break  the  entail,  and  he  was  of  opinion 
that  it  lay  in  my  power  to  do  so.  He  intended  to  make  a  bar- 
gain with  me  —  to  restore  Arthur  if  I  would  break  the  entail, 
and  so  make  it  possible  for  the  estate  to  be  left  to  him  by  will. 
He  knew  well  that  I  should  never  willingly  invoke  the  aid  of  the 
police  against  him.  I  say  that  he  would  have  proposed  such 
a  bargain  to  me ;  but  he  did  not  actually  do  so,  for  events 
moved  too  quickly  for  him,  and  he  had  not  time  to  put  his  plans 
into  practice. 

"What  brought  all  his  wicked  scheme  to  wreck  was  your 
discovery  of  this  man  Heidegger's  dead  body.  James  was 
seized  with  horror  at  the  news.  It  came  to  us  yesterday,  as  we 
sat  together  in  this  study.  Dr.  Huxtable  had  sent  a  telegram. 
James  was  so  overwhelmed  with  grief  and  agitation  that  my 
suspicions,  which  had  never  been  entirely  absent,  rose  instantly 
to  a  certainty,  and  I  taxed  him  with  the  deed.  He  made  a  com- 
plete voluntary  confession.  Then  he  implored  me  to  keep  his 


15«       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

secret  for  three  days  longer,  so  as  to  give  his  wretched  accom- 
plice a  chance  of  saving  his  guilty  life.  I  yielded  —  as  I  have 
always  yielded  —  to  his  prayers,  and  instantly  James  hurried 
off  to  the  Fighting  Cock  to  warn  Hayes  and  give  him  the  means 
of  flight.  I  could  not  go  there  by  daylight  without  provoking 
comment,  but  as  soon  as  night  fell  I  hurried  off  to  see  my  dear 
Arthur.  I  found  him  safe  and  well,  but  horrified  beyond  ex- 
pression by  the  dreadful  deed  he  had  witnessed.  In  deference 
to  my  promise,  and  much  against  my  will,  I  consented  to  leave 
him  there  for  three  days,  under  the  charge  of  Mrs.  Hayes,  since 
it  was  evident  that  it  was  impossible  to  inform  the  police  where 
he  was  without  telling  them  also  who  was  the  murderer,  and  I 
could  not  see  how  that  murderer  could  be  punished  without 
ruin  to  my  unfortunate  James.  You  asked  for  frankness,  Mr. 
Holmes,  and  I  have  taken  you  at  your  word,  for  I  have  now 
told  you  everything  without  an  attempt  at  circumlocution  or 
concealment.  Do  you  in  your  turn  be  as  frank  with  me." 

"  I  will,"  said  Holmes.  "  In  the  first  place,  your  Grace,  I 
am  bound  to  tell  you  that  you  have  placed  yourself  in  a  most 
serious  position  in  the  eyes  of  the  law.  You  have  condoned  a 
felony,  and  you  have  aided  the  escape  of  a  murderer,  for  I  can- 
not doubt  that  any  money  which  was  taken  by  James  Wilder 
to  aid  his  accomplice  in  his  flight  came  from  your  Grace's 
purse." 

The  Duke  bowed  his  assent. 

"  This  is,  indeed,  a  most  serious  matter.  Even  more  culpable 
in  my  opinion,  your  Grace,  is  your  attitude  towards  your 
younger  son.  You  leave  him  in  this  den  for  three  days." 

"  Under  solemn  promises  — 

"What  are  promises  to  such  people  as  these?  You  have 
no  guarantee  that  he  will  not  be  spirited  away  again.  To 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  PRIORY  SCHOOL  157 

humour  your  guilty  elder  son,  you  have  exposed  your  innocent 
younger  son  to  imminent  and  unnecessary  danger.  It  was  a 
most  unjustifiable  action." 

The  proud  lord  of  Holdernesse  was  not  accustomed  to  be 
so  rated  in  his  own  ducal  hall.  The  blood  flushed  into  his  high 
forehead,  but  his  conscience  held  him  dumb. 

"I  will  help  you,  but  on  one  condition  only.  It  is  that  you 
ring  for  the  footman,  and  let  me  give  such  orders  as  I  like." 

Without  a  word,  the  Duke  pressed  the  electric  bell.  A  ser- 
vant entered. 

"  You  will  be  glad  to  hear,"  said  Holmes,  "  that  your  young 
master  is  found.  It  is  the  Duke's  desire  that  the  carriage  shall 
go  at  once  to  the  Fighting  Cock  Inn  to  bring  Lord  Saltire  home. 

"Now,"  said  Holmes,  when  the  rejoicing  lackey  had  dis- 
appeared, "having  secured  the  future,  we  can  afford  to  be 
more  lenient  with  the  past.  I  am  not  in  an  official  position, 
and  there  is  no  reason,  so  long  as  the  ends  of  justice  are  served, 
why  I  should  disclose  all  that  I  know.  As  to  Hayes,  I  say  noth- 
ing. The  gallows  awaits  him,  and  I  would  do  nothing  to  save 
him  from  it.  What  he  will  divulge  I  cannot  tell,  but  I  have  no 
doubt  that  your  Grace  could  make  him  understand  that  it  is  to 
his  interest  to  be  silent.  From  the  police  point  of  view  he  will 
have  kidnapped  the  boy  for  the  purpose  of  ransom.  If  they 
do  not  themselves  find  it  out,  I  see  no  reason  why  I  should 
prompt  them  to  take  a  broader  point  of  view.  I  would  warn 
your  Grace,  however,  that  the  continued  presence  of  Mr.  James 
Wilder  in  your  household  can  only  lead  to  misfortune." 

"  I  understand  that,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  it  is  already  settled 
that  he  shall  leave  me  forever,  and  go  to  seek  his  fortune  in 
Australia." 

"  In  that  case,  your  Grace,  since  you  have  yourself  stated  that 


158       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

any  unhappiness  in  your  married  life  was  caused  by  his  pres- 
ence, I  would  suggest  that  you  make  such  amends  as  you  can 
to  the  Duchess,  and  that  you  try  to  resume  those  relations 
which  have  been  so  unhappily  interrupted." 

"That  also  I  have  arranged,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  wrote  to  the 
Duchess  this  morning." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Holmes,  rising,  "  I  think  that  my  friend 
and  I  can  congratulate  ourselves  upon  several  most  happy  re- 
sults from  our  little  visit  to  the  North.  There  is  one  other 
small  point  upon  which  I  desire  some  light.  This  fellow 
Hayes  had  shod  his  horses  with  shoes  which  counterfeited 
the  tracks  of  cows.  Was  it  from  Mr.  Wilder  that  he  learned 
so  extraordinary  a  device  ?  " 

The  Duke  stood  in  thought  for  a  moment,  with  a  look  of  in- 
tense surprise  on  his  face.  Then  he  opened  a  door  and  showed 
us  into  a  large  room  furnished  as  a  museum.  He  led  the  way 
to  a  glass  case  in  a  corner,  and  pointed  to  the  inscription. 

"  These  shoes,"  it  ran,  "  were  dug  up  in  the  moat  of  Holder- 
nesse  Hall.  They  are  for  the  use  of  horses,  but  they  are 
shaped  below  with  a  cloven  foot  of  iron,  so  as  to  throw  pursuers 
off  the  track.  They  are  supposed  to  have  belonged  to  some 
of  the  marauding  Barons  of  Holdernesse  in  the  Middle  Ages." 

Holmes  opened  the  case,  and  moistening  his  finger  he  passed 
it  along  the  shoe.  A  thin  film  of  recent  mud  was  left  upon  his 
skin. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  he,  as  he  replaced  the  glass.  "  It  is  the 
second  most  interesting  object  that  I  have  seen  in  the  North." 

"And  the  first?" 

Holmes  folded  up  his  cheque  and  placed  it  carefully  in  his 
note-book.  "  I  am  a  poor  man,"  said  he,  as  he  patted  it  affec- 
tionately, and  thrust  it  into  the  depths  of  his  inner  pocket. 


VI 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
BLACK  PETER 

I  HAVE  never  known  my  friend  to  be  in  better  form,  both 
mental  and  physical,  than  in  the  year  '95.  His  increasing 
fame  had  brought  with  it  an  immense  practice,  and  I  should  be 
guilty  of  an  indiscretion  if  I  were  even  to  hint  at  the  identity  of 
some  of  the  illustrious  clients  who  crossed  our  humble  threshold 
in  Baker  Street.  Holmes,  however,  like  all  great  artists,  lived 
for  his  art's  sake,  and,  save  in  the  case  of  the  Duke  of  Holder- 
nesse,  I  have  seldom  known  him  claim  any  large  reward  for  his 
inestimable  services.  So  unworldly  was  he  —  or  so  capricious  — 
that  he  frequently  refused  his  help  to  the  powerful  and  wealthy 
where  the  problem  made  no  appeal  to  his  sympathies,  while  he 
would  devote  weeks  of  most  intense  application  to  the  affairs  of 
some  humble  client  whose  case  presented  those  strange  and  dra- 
matic qualities  which  appealed  to  his  imagination  and  chal- 
lenged his  ingenuity. 

In  this  memorable  year  '95,  a  curious  and  incongruous  succes- 
sion of  cases  had  engaged  his  attention,  ranging  from  his  famous 
investigation  of  the  sudden  death  of  Cardinal  Tosca  —  an  in- 
quiry which  was  carried  out  by  him  at  the  express  desire  of  His 
Holiness  the  Pope  —  down  to  his  arrest  of  Wilson,  the  notorious 


160       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

canary-trainer,  which  removed  a  plague-spot  from  the  East  End 
of  London.  Close  on  the  heels  of  these  two  famous  cases  came 
the  tragedy  of  Woodman's  Lee,  and  the  very  obscure  circum- 
stances which  surrounded  the  death  of  Captain  Peter  Carey. 
No  record  of  the  doings  of  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  would  be  com- 
plete which  did  not  include  some  account  of  this  very  unusual 
affair. 

During  the  first  week  of  July,  my  friend  had  been  absent  so 
often  and  so  long  from  our  lodgings  that  I  knew  he  had  some- 
thing on  hand.  The  fact  that  several  rough-looking  men  called 
during  that  time  and  inquired  for  Captain  Basil  made  me  under- 
stand that  Holmes  was  working  somewhere  under  one  of  the  nu- 
merous disguises  and  names  with  which  he  concealed  his  own 
formidable  identity.  He  had  at  least  five  small  refuges  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  London,  in  which  he  was  able  to  change  his  per- 
sonality. He  said  nothing  of  his  business  to  me,  and  it  was  not 
my  habit  to  force  a  confidence.  The  first  positive  sign  which  he 
gave  me  of  the  direction  which  his  investigation  was  taking  was 
an  extraordinary  one.  He  had  gone  out  before  breakfast,  and 
I  had  sat  down  to  mine  when  he  strode  into  the  room,  his  hat 
upon  his  head  and  a  huge  barbed-headed  spear  tucked  like  an 
umbrella  under  his  arm. 

"  Good  gracious,  Holmes ! "  I  cried.  "  You  don't  mean  to 
say  that  you  have  been  walking  about  London  with  that  thing  ?" 

"  I  drove  to  the  butcher's  and  back. " 

"The  butcher's?'* 

"And  I  return  with  an  excellent  appetite.  There  can  be  no 
question,  my  dear  Watson,  of  the  value  of  exercise  before  break- 
fast. But  I  am  prepared  to  bet  that  you  will  not  guess  the  form 
that  my  exercise  has  taken. " 

"  I  will  not  attempt  it " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        161 

He  chuckled  as  he  poured  out  the  coffee. 

"*  If  you  could  have  looked  into  Allardyce's  back  shop,  you 
would  have  seen  a  dead  pig  swung  from  a  hook  in  the  ceiling, 
and  a  gentleman  in  his  shirt  sleeves  furiously  stabbing  at  it  with 
this  weapon.  I  was  that  energetic  person,  and  I  have  satisfied 
myself  that  by  no  exertion  of  my  strength  can  I  transfix  the  pig 
with  a  single  blow.  Perhaps  you  would  care  to  try  ?  " 

"  Not  for  worlds.     But  why  were  you  doing  this  ?  " 

"  Because  it  seemed  to  me  to  have  an  indirect  bearing  upon 
the  mystery  of  Woodman's  Lee.  Ah,  Hopkins,  I  got  your  wire 
last  night,  and  I  have  been  expecting  you.  Come  and  join  us." 

Our  visitor  was  an  exceedingly  alert  man,  thirty  years  of  age, 
dressed  in  a  quiet  tweed  suit,  but  retaining  the  erect  bearing  of 
one  who  was  accustomed  to  official  uniform.  I  recognised  him 
at  once  as  Stanley  Hopkins,  a  young  police  inspector,  for  whose 
future  Holmes  had  high  hopes,  while  he  in  turn  professed  the 
admiration  and  respect  of  a  pupil  for  the  scientific  methods  of 
the  famous  amateur.  Hopkins'  brow  was  clouded,  and  he  sat 
down  with  an  air  of  deep  dejection. 

"  No,  thank  you,  sir.  I  breakfasted  before  I  came  round.  I 
spent  the  night  in  town,  for  I  came  up  yesterday  to  report. " 

"  And  what  had  you  to  report  ?  " 

"  Failure,  sir,  absolute  lailure. " 

"  You  have  made  no  progress  ?  " 

"None." 

"  Dear  me!  I  must  have  a  look  at  the  matter. " 

"  I  wish  to  Heavens  that  you  would,  Mr.  Holmes.  It's  my 
first  big  chance,  and  I  am  at  my  wits'  end.  For  goodness'  sake, 
come  down  and  lend  me  a  hand. " 

"  Well,  well,  it  just  happens  that  I  have  already  read  all  the 
available  evidence,  including  the  report  of  the  inquest,  with 


162       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

some  care.  By  the  way,  what  do  you  make  of  that  tobacco- 
pouch,  found  on  the  scene  of  the  crime  ?  Is  there  no  clue 
there?" 

Hopkins  looked  surprised. 

"  It  was  the  man's  own  pouch,  sir.  His  initials  were  inside 
it.  And  it  was  of  sealskin  —  and  he  was  an  old  sealer.  " 

"  But  he  had  no  pipe. " 

"  No,  sir,  we  could  find  no  pipe.  Indeed,  he  smoked  very 
little,  and  yet  he  might  have  kept  some  tobacco  for  his 
friends. " 

"  No  doubt.  I  only  mention  it  because,  if  I  had  been  hand- 
ling the  case,  I  should  have  been  inclined  to  make  that  the  start- 
ing-point of  my  investigation.  However,  my  friend,  Dr.  Wat- 
son, knows  nothing  of  this  matter,  and  I  should  be  none  the 
worse  for  hearing  the  sequence  of  events  once  more.  Just 
give  us  some  short  sketches  of  the  essentials. " 

Stanley  Hopkins  drew  a  slip  of  paper  from  his  pocket. 

"  I  have  a  few  dates  here  which  will  give  you  the  career  of  the 
dead  man,  Captain  Peter  Carey.  He  was  born  in  '45 — fifty 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  most  daring  and  successful  seal  and 
whale  fisher.  In  1883  he  commanded  the  steam  sealer  Sea 
Unicorn,  of  Dundee.  He  had  then  had  several  successful 
voyages  in  succession,  and  in  the  following  year,  1884,  he  re- 
tired. After  that  he  travelled  for  some  years,  and  finally  he 
bought  a  small  place  called  Woodman's  Lee,  near  Forest  Row, 
in  Sussex.  There  he  has  lived  for  six  years,  and  there  he  died 
just  a  week  ago  to-day. 

"  There  were  some  most  singular  points  about  the  man.  In 
ordinary  life,  he  was  a  strict  Puritan  —  a  silent,  gloomy  fellow. 
His  household  consisted  of  his  wife,  his  daughter,  aged  twenty, 
and  two  female  servants.  •  These  last  were  continually  chang- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        163 

ing,  for  it  was  never  a  very  cheery  situation,  and  sometimes  it 
became  past  all  bearing.  The  man  was  an  intermittent  drunk- 
ard, and  when  he  had  the  fit  on  him  he  was  a  perfect  fiend.  He 
has  been  known  to  drive  his  wife  and  daughter  out  of  doors  in 
the  middle  of  the  night,  and  flog  them  through  the  park  until 
the  whole  village  outside  the  gates  was  aroused  by  their 
screams. 

"  He  was  summoned  once  for  a  savage  assault  upon  the  old 
vicar,  who  had  called  upon  him  to  remonstrate  with  him  upon 
his  conduct.  In  short,  Mr.  Holmes,  you  would  go  far  before 
you  found  a  more  dangerous  man  than  Peter  Carey,  and  I  have 
heard  that  he  bore  the  same  character  when  he  commanded  his 
ship.  He  was  known  in  the  trade  as  Black  Peter,  and  the 
name  was  given  him,  not  only  on  account  of  his  swarthy  features 
and  the  colour  of  his  huge  beard,  but  for  the  humours  which 
were  the  terror  of  all  around  him.  I  need  not  say  that  he 
was  loathed  and  avoided  by  every  one  of  his  neighbours, 
and  that  I  have  not  heard  one  single  word  of  sorrow  about 
his  terrible  end. 

"  You  must  have  read  in  the  account  of  the  inquest  about  the 
man's  cabin,  Mr.  Holmes,  but  perhaps  your  friend  here  has  not 
heard  of  it.  He  had  built  himself  a  wooden  outhouse  —  he  al- 
ways called  it  the '  cabin' —  a  few  hundred  yards  from  his  house, 
and  it  was  here  that  he  slept  every  night.  It  was  a  little,  single- 
roomed  hut,  sixteen  feet  by  ten.  He  kept  the  key  in  his  pocket, 
made  his  own  bed,  cleaned  it  himself,  and  allowed  no  other  foot 
to  cross  the  threshold.  There  are  small  windows  on  each  side, 
which  were  covered  by  curtains  and  never  opened.  One  of  these 
windows  was  turned  towards  the  high  road,  and  when  the  light 
burned  in  it  at  night  the  folk  used  to  point  it  out  to  each  other 
and  wonder  what  Black  Peter  was  doing  in  there.  That's  the 


164  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

window,  Mr.  Holmes,  which  gave  us  one  of  the  few  bits  of  posi- 
tive evidence  that  came  out  at  the  inquest. 

"  You  remember  that  a  stonemason,  named  Slater,  walking 
from  Forest  Row  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  —  two  days 
before  the  murder  —  stopped  as  he  passed  the  grounds  and 
looked  at  the  square  of  light  still  shining  among  the  trees.  He 
swears  that  the  shadow  of  a  man's  head  turned  sideways  was 
clearly  visible  on  the  blind,  and  that  this  shadow  was  certainly 
not  that  of  Peter  Carey,  whom  he  knew  well.  It  was  that  of  a 
bearded  man,  but  the  beard  was  short  and  bristled  forwards  in 
a  way  very  different  from  that  of  the  captain.  So  he  says,  but 
he  had  been  two  hours  in  the  public-house,  and  it  is  some  dis- 
tance from  the  road  to  the  window.  Besides,  this  refers  to  the 
Monday,  and  the  crime  was  done  upon  the  Wednesday. 

"On  the  Tuesday,  Peter  Carey  was  in  one  of  his  blackest 
moods,  flushed  with  drink  and  as  savage  as  a  dangerous  wild 
beast.  He  roamed  about  the  house,  and  the  women  ran  for  it 
when  they  heard  him  coming.  Late  in  the  evening,  he  went 
down  to  his  own  hut.  About  two  o'clock  the  following  morn- 
ing, his  daughter,  who  slept  with  her  window  open,  heard  a  most 
fearful  yell  from  that  direction,  but  it  was  no  unusual  thing  for 
him  to  bawl  and  shout  when  he  was  in  drink,  so  no  notice  was 
taken.  On  rising  at  seven,  one  of  the  maids  noticed  that  the 
door  of  the  hut  was  open,  but  so  great  was  the  terror  which  the 
man  caused  that  it  was  midday  before  anyone  would  venture 
down  to  see  what  had  become  of  him.  Peeping  into  the  open 
door,  they  saw  a  sight  which  sent  them  flying,  with  white  faces, 
into  the  village.  Within  an  hour,  I  was  on  the  spot  and  had 
taken  over  the  case. 

"  Well,  I  have  fairly  steady  nerves,  as  you  know,  Mr.  Holmes, 
but  I  give  you  my  word,  that  I  got  a  shake  when  I  put  my  head 


I    GOT    A    SHAKE     \V  II  K  X     1     P  I"  T    MY    11  K  A  D    INTO    THAT    LITTLE    HOUSE 


165 

into  that  little  house.  It  was  droning  like  a  harmonium  with 
the  flies  and  bluebottles,  and  the  floor  and  walls  were  like  a 
slaughter-house.  He  had  called  it  a  cabin,  and  a  cabin  it  was, 
sure  enough,  for  you  would  have  thought  that  you  were  in  a 
ship.  There  was  a  bunk  at  one  end,  a  sea-chest,  maps  and 
charts,  a  picture  of  the  Sea  Unicorn,  a  line  of  logbooks  on  a 
shelf,  all  exactly  as  one  would  expect  to  find  it  in  a  captain's 
room.  And  there,  in  the  middle  of  it,  was  the  man  himself — his 
face  twisted  like  a  lost  soul  in  torment,  and  his  great  brindled 
beard  stuck  upwards  in  his  agony.  Right  through  his  broad 
breast  a  steel  harpoon  had  been  driven,  and  it  had  sunk  deep 
into  the  wood  of  the  wall  behind  him.  He  was  pinned  like  a 
beetle  on  a  card.  Of  course,  he  was  quite  dead,  and  had  been 
so  from  the  instant  that  he  had  uttered  that  last  yell  of  agony. 

"  I  know  your  methods,  sir,  and  I  applied  them.  Before  I 
permitted  anything  to  be  moved,  I  examined  most  carefully  the 
ground  outside,  and  also  the  floor  of  the  room.  There  were  no 
footmarks. " 

"  Meaning  that  you  saw  none  ?  " 

"  I  assure  you,  sir,  that  there  were  none. " 

"  My  good  Hopkins,  I  have  investigated  many  crimes,  but  I 
have  never  yet  seen  one  which  was  committed  by  a  flying  crea- 
ture. As  long  as  the  criminal  remains  upon  two  legs  so  long 
must  there  be  some  indentation,  some  abrasion,  some  trifling 
displacement  which  can  be  detected  by  the  scientific  searcher. 
It  is  incredible  that  this  blood-bespattered  room  contained  no 
trace  which  could  have  aided  us.  I  understand,  however,  from 
the  inquest  that  there  were  some  objects  which  you  failed  to 
overlook  ?  " 

The  young  inspector  winced  at  my  companion's  ironical 
Comments. 


166       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  I  was  a  fool  not  to  call  you  in  at  the  time,  Mr.  Holmes.  How- 
ever, that's  past  praying  for  now.  Yes,  there  were  several  ob- 
jects in  the  room  which  called  for  special  attention.  One  was 
the  harpoon  with  which  the  deed  was  committed.  It  had  been 
snatched  down  from  a  rack  on  the  wall.  Two  others  remained 
there,  and  there  was  a  vacant  place  for  the  third.  On  the  stock 
was  engraved  'Ss.  Sea  Unicorn,  Dundee.'  This  seemed  to 
establish  that  the  crime  had  been  done  in  a  moment  of  fury, 
and  that  the  murderer  had  seized  the  first  weapon  which  came 
in  his  way.  The  fact  that  the  crime  was  committed  at  two  in 
the  morning,  and  yet  Peter  Carey  was  fully  dressed,  suggested 
that  he  had  an  appointment  with  the  murderer,  which  is  borne 
out  by  the  fact  that  a  bottle  of  rum  and  two  dirty  glasses  stood 
upon  the  table." 

"Yes, "  said  Holmes;  " I  think  that  both  inferences  are  per- 
missible. Was  there  any  other  spirit  but  rum  in  the  room  ?  " 

"  Yes,  there  was  a  tantalus  containing  brandy  and  whisky  on 
the  sea-chest.  It  is  of  no  importance  to  us,  however,  since  the 
decanters  were  full,  and  it  had  therefore  not  been  used.  " 

"For  all  that,  its  presence  has  some  significance,"  said 
Holmes.  "  However,  let  us  hear  some  more  about  the  objects 
which  do  seem  to  you  to  bear  upon  the  case.  " 

"  There  was  this  tobacco-pouch  upon  the  table. " 

"  What  part  of  the  table  ?  " 

"It  lay  in  the  middle.  It  was  of  coarse  sealskin — the 
straight-haired  skin,  with  a  leather  thong  to  bind  it.  Inside 
was 'P.  C.'  on  the  flap.  There  was  half  an  ounce  of  strong 
ship's  tobacco  in  it. " 

"  Excellent !    What  more  ?  " 

Stanley  Hopkins  drew  from  his  pocket  a  drab-covered  note- 
book. The  outside  was  rough  and  worn,  the  leaves  discoloured. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER  167 

On  the  first  page  were  written  the  initials  "  J.  H.  N. "  and  the 
date  "  1883. "  Holmes  laid  it  on  the  table  and  examined  it  in 
his  minute  way,  while  Hopkins  and  I  gazed  over  each  shoulder. 
On  the  second  page  were  the  printed  letters  "C.  P.  R.,"  and 
then  came  several  sheets  of  numbers.  Another  heading  was 
"  Argentine,"  another  "Costa  Rica,"  and  another  "  San  Paulo," 
each  with  pages  of  signs  and  figures  after  it. 

"  What  do  you  make  of  these  ?  "     asked  Holmes. 

"They  appear  to  be  lists  of  Stock  Exchange  securities.  I 
thought  that '  J.  H.  N.'  were  the  initials  of  a  broker,  and  that 
'C.  P.  R.'  may  have  been  his  client.  " 

"  Try  Canadian  Pacific  Railway, "  said  Holmes. 

Stanley  Hopkins  swore  between  his  teeth,  and  struck  his 
thigh  with  his  clenched  hand. 

"  What  a  fool  I  have  been ! "  he  cried.  "  Of  course,  it  is  as 
you  say.  Then  '  J.  H.  N.'  are  the  only  initials  we  have  to  solve. 
I  have  already  examined  the  old  Stock  Exchange  lists,  and  I  can 
find  no  one  in  1883,  either  in  the  house  or  among  the  outside 
brokers,  whose  initials  correspond  with  these.  Yet  I  feel  that 
the  clue  is  the  most  important  one  that  I  hold.  You  will  ad- 
mit, Mr.  Holmes,  that  there  is  a  possibility  that  these  initials  are 
those  of  the  second  person  who  was  present  —  in  other  words,  of 
the  murderer.  I  would  also  urge  that  the  introduction  into 
the  case  of  a  document  relating  to  large  masses  of  valuable  secu- 
rities gives  us  for  the  first  time  some  indication  of  a  motive 
for  the  crime. " 

Sherlock  Holmes'  face  showed  that  he  was  thoroughly  taken 
aback  by  this  new  development. 

"  I  must  admit  both  your  points, "  said  he.  "  I  confess  that 
this  note-book,  which  did  not  appear  at  the  inquest,  modifies 
any  views  which  I  may  have  formed.  I  had  come  to  a  theory 


168  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

of  the  crime  in  which  I  can  find  no  place  for  this.  Have  you 
endeavoured  to  trace  any  of  the  securities  here  mentioned  ?  " 

*'  Inquiries  are  now  being  made  at  the  offices,  but  I  fear  that 
the  complete  register  of  the  stockholders  of  these  South  Ameri- 
can concerns  is  in  South  America,  and  that  some  weeks  must 
elapse  before  we  can  trace  the  shares. " 

Holmes  had  been  examining  the  cover  of  the  note-book  with 
his  magnifying  lens. 

"  Surely  there  is  some  discolouration  here, "  said  he. 

"Yes,  sir,  it  is  a  blood-stain.  I  told  you  that  I  picked  the 
book  off  the  floor. " 

"  Was  the  blood-stain  above  or  below  ?  " 

"  On  the  side  next  the  boards.  " 

"  Which  proves,  of  course,  that  the  book  was  dropped  after 
the  crime  was  committed.  " 

"  Exactly,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  appreciated  that  point,  and  I 
conjectured  that  it  was  dropped  by  the  murderer  in  his  hurried 
flight.  It  lay  near  the  door. " 

"I  suppose  that  none  of  these  securities  have  been  found 
among  the  property  of  the  dead  man  ?  " 

"No,  sir." 

"  Have  you  any  reason  to  suspect  robbery  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.     Nothing  seemed  to  have  been  touched.  " 

"  Dear  me,  it  is  certainly  a  very  interesting  case.  Then  there 
was  a  knife,  was  there  not  ?  " 

"  A  sheath-knife,  still  in  its  sheath.  It  lay  at  the  feet  of  the 
dead  man.  Mrs.  Carey  has  identified  it  as  being  her  husband's 
property. " 

Holmes  was  lost  in  thought  for  some  time. 

"  Well, "  said  he,  at  last,  "  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  come  out 
and  have  a  look  at  it. " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        169 

Stanley  Hopkins  gave  a  cry  of  joy. 

"Thank  you,  sir.  That  will,  indeed,  be  a  weight  off  my 
mind. " 

Holmes  shook  his  finger  at  the  inspector. 

"  It  would  have  been  an  easier  task  a  week  ago, "  said  he. 
"  But  even  now  my  visit  may  not  be  entirely  fruitless.  Watson, 
if  you  can  spare  the  time,  I  should  be  very  glad  of  your  company. 
If  you  will  call  a  four-wheeler,  Hopkins,  we  shall  be  ready  to 
start  for  Forest  Row  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour. " 

Alighting  at  the  small  wayside  station,  we  drove  for  some 
miles  through  the  remains  of  wide-spread  woods,  which  were 
once  part  of  that  great  forest  which  for  so  long  held  the  Saxon 
invaders  at  bay  —  the  impenetrable  "  weald, "  for  sixty  years 
the  bulwark  of  Britain.  Vast  sections  of  it  have  been  cleared, 
for  this  is  the  seat  of  the  first  iron-works  of  the  country,  and  the 
trees  have  been  felled  to  smelt  the  ore.  Now  the  richer  fields 
of  the  North  have  absorbed  the  trade,  and  nothing  save  these 
ravaged  groves  and  great  scars  in  the  earth  show  the  work  of 
the  past.  Here,  in  a  clearing  upon  the  green  slope  of  a  hill, 
stood  a  long,  low,  stone  house,  approached  by  a  curving  drive 
running  through  the  fields.  Nearer  the  road,  and  surrounded 
on  three  sides  by  bushes,  was  a  small  outhouse,  one  window 
and  the  door  facing  in  our  direction.  It  was  the  scene  of  the 
murder. 

Stanley  Hopkins  led  us  first  to  the  house,  where  he  introduced 
us  to  a  haggard,  grey-haired  woman,  the  widow  of  the  mur- 
dered man,  whose  gaunt  and  deep-lined  face,  with  the  furtive 
look  of  terror  in  the  depths  of  her  red-rimmed  eyes,  told  of  the 
years  of  hardship  and  ill-usage  which  she  had  endured.  With 
her  was  her  daughter,  a  pale,  fair-haired  girl,  whose  eyes  blazed 


170  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

defiantly  at  us  as  she  told  us  that  she  was  glad  that  her  father 
was  dead,  and  that  she  blessed  the  hand  which  had  struck  him 
down.  It  was  a  terrible  household  that  Black  Peter  Carey  had 
made  for  himself,  and  it  was  with  a  sense  of  relief  that  we  found 
ourselves  in  the  sunlight  again,  and  making  our  way  along  a 
path  which  had  been  worn  across  the  fields  by  the  feet  of  the 
dead  man. 

The  outhouse  was  the  simplest  of  dwellings,  wooden-walled, 
shingle-roofed,  one  window  beside  the  door  and  one  on  the  far- 
ther side.  Stanley  Hopkins  drew  the  key  from  his  pocket  and 
had  stooped  to  the  lock,  when  he  paused  with  a  look  of  attention 
and  surprise  upon  his  face. 

"  Someone  has  been  tampering  with  it, "  he  said. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  of  the  fact.  The  woodwork  was  cut, 
and  the  scratches  showed  white  through  the  paint,  as  if  they  had 
been  that  instant  done.  Holmes  had  been  examining  the  win- 
dow. 

"  Someone  has  tried  to  force  this  also.  Whoever  it  was  has 
failed  to  make  his  way  in.  He  must  have  been  a  very  poor 
burglar. " 

"  This  is  a  most  extraordinary  thing, "  said  the  inspector, 
"I  could  swear  that  these  marks  were  not  here  yesterday 
evening. " 

"Some  curious  person  from  the  village,  perhaps,"  I  sug- 
gested. 

"  Very  unlikely.  Few  of  them  would  dare  to  set  foot  in  the 
grounds,  far  less  try  to  force  their  way  into  the  cabin.  What 
do  you  think  of  it,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  fortune  is  very  kind  to  us. " 

"  You  mean  that  the  person  will  come  again  ?  " 

"  It  is  very  probable.     He  came  expecting  to  find  the  door 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        171 

open.  He  tried  to  get  in  with  the  blade  of  a  very  small  penknife. 
He  could  not  manage  it.  What  would  he  do  ?  " 

"  Come  again  next  night  with  a  more  useful  tool.  " 

"  So  I  should  say.  It  will  be  our  fault  if  we  are  not  there  to 
receive  him.  Meanwhile,  let  me  see  the  inside  of  the  cabin.  " 

The  traces  of  the  tragedy  had  been  removed,  but  the  furniture 
within  the  little  room  still  stood  as  it  had  been  on  the  night  of 
the  crime.  For  two  hours,  with  most  intense  concentration, 
Holmes  examined  every  object  in  turn,  but  his  face  showed  that 
his  quest  was  not  a  successful  one.  Once  only  he  paused  in  his 
patient  investigation. 

"  Have  you  taken  anything  off  this  shelf,  Hopkins  ?  " 

"  No,  I  have  moved  nothing.  " 

"  Something  has  been  taken.  There  is  less  dust  in  this  cor- 
ner of  the  shelf  than  elsewhere.  It  may  have  been  a  book  lying 
on  its  side.  It  may  have  been  a  box.  Well,  well,  I  can  do  noth- 
ing more.  Let  us  walk  in  these  beautiful  woods,  Watson,  and 
give  a  few  hours  to  the  birds  and  the  flowers.  We  shall  meet 
you  here  later,  Hopkins,  and  see  if  we  can  come  to  closer  quar- 
ters with  the  gentleman  who  has  paid  this  visit  in  the  night.  " 

It  was  past  eleven  o'clock  when  we  formed  our  little  ambus- 
cade. Hopkins  was  for  leaving  the  door  of  the  hut  open,  but 
Holmes  was  of  the  opinion  that  this  would  rouse  the  suspicions 
of  the  stranger.  The  lock  was  a  perfectly  simple  one,  and  only 
a  strong  blade  was  needed  to  push  it  back.  Holmes  also  sug- 
gested that  we  should  wait,  not  inside  the  hut,  but  outside  it 
among  the  bushes  which  grew  round  the  farther  window.  In 
this  way  we  should  be  able  to  watch  our  man  if  he  struck  a  light, 
and  see  what  his  object  was  in  this  stealthy  nocturnal  visit. 

It  was  a  long  and  melancholy  vigil,  and  yet  brought  with  it 
something  of  the  thrill  which  the  hunter  feels  when  he  lies  be- 


172  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

side  the  water-pool,  and  waits  for  the  coming  of  the  thirsty  beast 
of  prey.  What  savage  creature  was  it  which  might  steal  upon 
us  out  of  the  darkness  ?  Was  it  a  fierce  tiger  of  crime,  which 
could  only  be  taken  fighting  hard  with  flashing  fang  and  claw, 
or  would  it  prove  to  be  some  skulking  jackal,  dangerous  only  to 
the  weak  and  unguarded  ? 

In  absolute  silence  we  crouched  amongst  the  bushes,  waiting 
for  whatever  might  come.  At  first  the  steps  of  a  few  belated 
villagers,  or  the  sound  of  voices  from  the  village,  lightened  our 
vigil,  but  one  by  one  these  interruptions  died  away,  and  an  abso- 
lute stillness  fell  upon  us,  save  for  the  chimes  of  the  distant 
church,  which  told  us  of  the  progress  of  the  night,  and  for  the 
rustle  and  whisper  of  a  fine  rain  falling  amid  the  foliage  which 
roofed  us  in. 

Half-past  two  had  chimed,  and  it  was  the  darkest  hour  which 
precedes  the  dawn,  when  we  all  started  as  a  low  but  sharp  click 
came  from  the  direction  of  the  gate.  Someone  had  entered  the 
drive.  Again  there  was  a  long  silence,  and  I  had  begun  to  fear 
that  it  was  a  false  alarm,  when  a  stealthy  step  was  heard  upon 
the  other  side  of  the  hut,  and  a  moment  later  a  metallic  scraping 
and  clinking.  The  man  was  trying  to  force  the  lock.  This  time 
his  skill  was  greater  or  his  tool  was  better,  for  there  was  a  sud- 
den snap  and  the  creak  of  the  hinges.  Then  a  match  was 
struck,  and  next  instant  the  steady  light  from  a  candle  filled 
the  interior  of  the  hut.  Through  the  gauze  curtain  our  eyes 
were  all  riveted  upon  the  scene  within. 

The  nocturnal  visitor  was  a  young  man,  frail  and  thin,  with  a 
black  moustache,  which  intensified  the  deadly  pallor  of  his  face. 
He  could  not  have  been  much  above  twenty  years  of  age.  I 
have  never  seen  any  human  being  who  appeared  to  be  in  such  a 
pitiable  fright,  for  his  teeth  were  visibly  chattering,  and  he  was 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        ITS 

shaking  in  every  limb.  He  was  dressed  like  a  gentleman,  in 
Norfolk  jacket  and  knickerbockers,  with  a  cloth  cap  upon  his 
head.  We  watched  him  staring  round  with  frightened  eyes. 
Then  he  laid  the  candle-end  upon  the  table,  and  disappeared 
from  our  view  into  one  of  the  corners.  He  returned  with  a  large 
book,  one  of  the  logbooks  which  formed  a  line  upon  the  shelves. 
Leaning  on  the  table,  he  rapidly  turned  over  the  leaves  of  this 
volume  until  he  came  to  the  entry  which  he  sought.  Then, 
with  an  angry  gesture  of  his  clenched  hand,  he  closed  the  book, 
replaced  it  in  the  corner,  and  put  out  the  light.  He  had  hardly 
turned  to  leave  the  hut  when  Hopkins'  hand  was  on  the  fellow's 
collar,  and  I  heard  his  loud  gasp  of  terror  as  he  understood  that 
he  was  taken.  The  candle  was  relit,  and  there  was  our  wretched 
captive,  shivering  and  cowering  in  the  grasp  of  the  detective. 
He  sank  down  upon  the  sea-chest,  and  looked  helplessly  from 
one  of  us  to  the  other. 

"  Now,  my  fine  fellow, "  said  Stanley  Hopkins,  "  who  are  you, 
and  what  do  you  want  here  ?  " 

The  man  pulled  himself  together,  and  faced  us  with  an  effort 
at  self -composure. 

"You  are  detectives,  I  suppose?"  said  he.  "You  imagine 
I  am  connected  with  the  death  of  Captain  Peter  Carey.  I 
assure  you  that  I  am  innocent.  " 

"  We'll  see  about  that, "  said  Hopkins.  "  First  of  all,  what 
is  your  name  ?  " 

"  It  is  John  Hopley  Neligan. " 

I  saw  Holmes  and  Hopkins  exchange  a  quick  glance. 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  " 

"  Can  I  speak  confidentially  ?  " 

"  No,  certainly  not. " 

"Why  should  I  tell  you?" 


174  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  If  you  have  no  answer,  it  may  go  badly  with  you  at  the  trial." 

The  young  man  winced. 

"  Well,  I  will  tell  you, "  he  said.  "  Why  should  I  not  ?  And 
yet  I  hate  to  think  of  this  old  scandal  gaining  a  new  lease  of  life. 
Did  you  ever  hear  of  Dawson  and  Neligan  ?  " 

I  could  see,  from  Hopkins'  face,  that  he  never  had,  but 
Holmes  was  keenly  interested. 

"You  mean  the  West-country  bankers,"  said  he.  "They 
failed  for  a  million,  ruined  half  the  county  families  of  Corn- 
wall, and  Neligan  disappeared. " 

"  Exactly.     Neligan  was  my  father. " 

At  last  we  were  getting  something  positive,  and  yet  it  seemed 
a  long  gap  between  an  absconding  banker  and  Captain  Peter 
Carey  pinned  against  the  wall  with  one  of  his  own  harpoons. 
We  all  listened  intently  to  the  young  man's  words. 

"  It  was  my  father  who  was  really  concerned.  Dawson  had 
retired.  I  was  only  ten  years  of  age  at  the  time,  but  I  was  old 
enough  to  feel  the  shame  and  horror  of  it  all.  It  has  always 
been  said  that  my  father  stole  all  the  securities  and  fled.  It  is 
not  true.  It  was  his  belief  that  if  he  were  given  time  in  which  to 
realize  them,  all  would  be  well  and  every  creditor  paid  in  full. 
He  started  in  his  little  yacht  for  Norway  just  before  the  warrant 
was  issued  for  his  arrest.  I  can  remember  that  last  night,  when 
he  bade  farewell  to  my  mother.  He  left  us  a  list  of  the  securi- 
ties he  was  taking,  and  he  swore  that  he  would  come  back  with 
his  honour  cleared,  and  that  none  who  had  trusted  him  would 
suffer.  Well,  no  word  was  ever  heard  from  him  again.  Both 
the  yacht  and  he  vanished  utterly.  We  believed,  my  mother 
and  I,  that  he  and  it,  with  the  securities  that  he  had  taken  with 
him,  were  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  We  had  a  faithful  friend, 
however,  who  is  a  business  man,  and  it  was  he  who  discovered 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        175 

some  time  ago  that  some  of  the  securities  which  my  father  had 
with  him  had  reappeared  on  the  London  market.  You  can 
imagine  our  amazement.  I  spent  months  in  trying  to  trace 
them,  and  at  last,  after  many  doubtings  and  difficulties,  I  dis- 
covered that  the  original  seller  had  been  Captain  Peter  Carey, 
the  owner  of  this  hut. 

"  Naturally,  I  made  some  inquiries  about  the  man.  I  found 
that  he  had  been  in  command  of  a  whaler  which  was  due  to 
return  from  the  Arctic  seas  at  the  very  time  when  my  father  was 
crossing  to  Norway.  The  autumn  of  that  year  was  a  stormy 
one,  and  there  was  a  long  succession  of  southerly  gales.  My 
father's  yacht  may  well  have  been  blown  to  the  north,  and 
there  met  by  Captain  Peter  Carey's  ship.  If  that  were  so, 
what  had  become  of  my  father  ?  In  any  case,  if  I  could  prove 
from  Peter  Carey's  evidence  how  these  securities  came  on 
the  market  it  would  be  a  proof  that  my  father  had  not 
sold  them,  and  that  he  had  no  view  to  personal  profit  when 
he  took  them. 

"  I  came  down  to  Sussex  with  the  intention  of  seeing  the  cap- 
tain, but  it  was  at  this  moment  that  his  terrible  death  occurred. 
I  read  at  the  inquest  a  description  of  his  cabin,  in  which  it 
stated  that  the  old  logbooks  of  his  vessel  were  preserved  in  it. 
It  struck  me  that  if  I  could  see  what  occurred  in  the  month  of 
August,  1883,  on  board  the  Sea  Unicorn,  I  might  settle  the  mys- 
tery of  my  father's  fate.  I  tried  last  night  to  get  at  these  log- 
books, but  was  unable  to  open  the  door.  To-night  I  tried  again 
and  succeeded,  but  I  find  that  the  pages  which  deal  with  that 
month  have  been  torn  from  the  book.  It  was  at  that  moment  I 
found  myself  a  prisoner  in  your  hands. " 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  asked  Hopkins. 

"  Yes,  that  is  all. "     His  eyes  shifted  as  he  said  it. 


176       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

**  You  have  nothing  else  to  tell  us  ?  " 

He  hesitated. 

"  No,  there  is  nothing. " 

"  You  have  not  been  here  before  last  night  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Then  how  do  you  account  for  that  ?  "  cried  Hopkins,  as  he 
held  up  the  damning  note-book,  with  the  initials  of  our  prisoner 
on  the  first  leaf  and  the  blood-stain  on  the  cover. 

The  wretched  man  collapsed.  He  sank  his  face  in  his 
hands,  and  trembled  all  over. 

"  Where  did  you  get  it  ?  "  he  groaned.  "  I  did  not  know.  I 
thought  I  had  lost  it  at  the  hotel. " 

**  That  is  enough, "  said  Hopkins,  sternly.  "  Whatever  else 
you  have  to  say,  you  must  say  in  court.  You  will  walk  down 
with  me  now  to  the  police-station.  Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  am 
very  much  obliged  to  you  and  to  your  friend  for  coming  down 
to  help  me.  As  it  turns  out  your  presence  was  unnecessary,  and 
I  would  have  brought  the  case  to  this  successful  issue  without 
you,  but,  none  the  less,  I  am  grateful.  Rooms  have  been  re- 
served for  you  at  the  Brambletye  Hotel,  so  we  can  all  walk  down 
to  the  village  together. " 

'*  Well,  Watson,  what  do  you  think  of  it  ?  "  asked  Holmes,  as 
we  travelled  back  next  morning. 

"  I  can  see  that  you  are  not  satisfied. " 

"  Oh,  yes,  my  dear  Watson,  I  am  perfectly  satisfied.  At  the 
same  time,  Stanley  Hopkins'  methods  do  not  commend  them- 
selves to  me.  I  am  disappointed  in  Stanley  Hopkins.  I  had 
hoped  for  better  things  from  him.  One  should  always  look  for 
a  possible  alternative,  and  provide  against  it.  It  is  the  first  rule 
of  criminal  investigation. " 

"What,  then,  is  the  alternative?" 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        177 

"The  line  of  investigation  which  I  have  myself  been  pur- 
suing. It  may  give  us  nothing.  I  cannot  tell.  But  at  least  I 
shall  follow  it  to  the  end. " 

Several  letters  were  waiting  for  Holmes  at  Baker  Street.  He 
snatched  one  of  them  up,  opened  it,  and  burst  out  into  a  trium- 
phant chuckle  of  laughter. 

"  Excellent,  Watson !  The  alternative  develops.  Have  you 
telegraph  forms?  Just  write  a  couple  of  messages  for  me: 
'  Sumner,  Shipping  Agent,  Ratcliff  Highway.  Send  three  men 
on,  to  arrive  ten  to-morrow  morning.  —  Basil.'  That's  my 
name  in  those  parts.  The  other  is :  '  Inspector  Stanley  Hopkins, 
46,  Lord  Street,  Brixton.  Come  breakfast  to-morrow  at  nine- 
thirty.  Important.  Wire  if  unable  to  come.  —  Sherlock 
Holmes.'  There,  Watson,  this  infernal  case  has  haunted  me 
for  ten  days.  I  hereby  banish  it  completely  from  my  presence. 
To-morrow,  I  trust,  that  we  shall  hear  the  last  of  it  for  ever. " 

Sharp  at  the  hour  named  Inspector  Stanley  Hopkins  ap- 
peared, and  we  sat  down  together  to  the  excellent  breakfast 
which  Mrs.  Hudson  had  prepared.  The  young  detective  was 
in  high  spirits  at  his  success. 

"  You  really  think  that  your  solution  must  be  correct  ?  "  asked 
Holmes. 

"  I  could  not  imagine  a  more  complete  case. " 

"  It  did  not  seem  to  me  conclusive. " 

"  You  astonish  me,  Mr.  Holmes.  What  more  could  one  ask 
for?" 

"  Does  your  explanation  cover  every  point  ?  " 

"Undoubtedly.  I  find  that  young  Neligan  arrived  at  the 
Brambletye  Hotel  on  the  very  day  of  the  crime.  He  came  on 
the  pretence  of  playing  golf.  His  room  was  on  the  ground- 
floor,  and  he  could  get  out  when  he  liked.  That  very  night  he 


178  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

went  down  to  Woodman's  Lee,  saw  Peter  Carey  at  the  hut, 
quarrelled  with  him,  and  killed  him  with  the  harpoon.  Then, 
horrified  by  what  he  had  done,  he  fled  out  of  the  hut,  dropping 
the  note-book  which  he  had  brought  with  him  in  order  to  ques- 
tion Peter  Carey  about  these  different  securities.  You  may 
have  observed  that  some  of  them  were  marked  with  ticks,  and 
the  others  —  the  great  majority  —  were  not.  Those  which  are 
ticked  have  been  traced  on  the  London  market,  but  the  others, 
presumably,  were  still  in  the  possession  of  Carey,  and  young 
Neligan,  according  to  his  own  account,  was  anxious  to  recover 
them  in  order  to  do  the  right  thing  by  his  father's  creditors. 
After  his  flight  he  did  not  dare  to  approach  the  hut  again  for 
some  time,  but  at  last  he  forced  himself  to  do  so  in  order  to  ob- 
tain the  information  which  he  needed.  Surely  that  is  all  simple 
and  obvious  ?  " 

Holmes  smiled  and  shook  his  head. 

"  It  seems  to  me  to  have  only  one  drawback,  Hopkins,  and 
that  is  that  it  is  intrinsically  impossible.  Have  you  tried  to  drive 
a  harpoon  through  a  body  ?  No  ?  Tut,  tut,  my  dear  sir,  you 
must  really  pay  attention  to  these  details.  My  friend  Watson 
could  tell  you  that  I  spent  a  whole  morning  in  that  exercise.  It 
is  no  easy  matter,  and  requires  a  strong  and  practised  arm.  But 
this  blow  was  delivered  with  such  violence  that  the  head  of  the 
weapon  sank  deep  into  the  wall.  Do  you  imagine  that  this 
anaemic  youth  was  capable  of  so  frightful  an  assault  ?  Is  he  the 
man  who  hobnobbed  in  rum  and  water  with  Black  Peter  in  the 
dead  of  the  night  ?  Was  it  his  profile  that  was  seen  on  the  blind 
two  nights  before  ?  No,  no,  Hopkins,  it  is  another  and  more 
formidable  person  for  whom  we  must  seek.  " 

The  detective's  face  had  grown  longer  and  longer  during 
Holmes'  speech.  His  hopes  and  his  ambitions  were  all  crum- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        179 

bling  about  him.  But  he  would  not  abandon  his  position  with- 
out a  struggle. 

"You  can't  deny  that  Neligan  was  present  that  night,  Mr. 
Holmes.  The  book  will  prove  that.  I  fancy  that  I  have  evi- 
dence enough  to  satisfy  a  jury,  even  if  you  are  able  to  pick  a  hole 
in  it.  Besides,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  have  laid  my  hand  upon  my  man. 
As  to  this  terrible  person  of  yours,  where  is  he  ?  " 

"  I  rather  fancy  that  he  is  on  the  stair, "  said  Holmes,  serenely. 
"  I  think,  Watson,  that  you  would  do  well  to  put  that  revolver 
where  you  can  reach  it. "  He  rose  and  laid  a  written  paper 
upon  a  side-table.  "  Now  we  are  ready, "  said  he. 

There  had  been  some  talking  in  gruff  voices  outside,  and  now 
Mrs.  Hudson  opened  the  door  to  say  that  there  were  three  men 
inquiring  for  Captain  Basil. 

"  Show  them  in  one  by  one, "  said  Holmes. 

The  first  who  entered  was  a  little  ribston-pippin  of  a  man, 
with  ruddy  cheeks  and  fluffy  white  side- whiskers.  Holmes  had 
drawn  a  letter  from  his  pocket. 

"  What  name  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  James  Lancaster. " 

"  I  am  sorry,  Lancaster,  but  the  berth  is  full.  Here  is  half  a 
sovereign  for  your  trouble.  Just  step  into  this  room,  and  wait 
there  for  a  few  minutes. " 

The  second  man  was  a  long,  dried-up  creature,  with  lank 
hair  and  sallow  cheeks.  His  name  was  Hugh  Pattins.  He  also 
received  his  dismissal,  his  half -sovereign,  and  the  order  to  wait. 

The  third  applicant  was  a  man  of  remarkable  appearance. 
A  fierce  bull-dog  face  was  framed  in  a  tangle  of  hair  and  beard, 
and  two  bold,  dark  eyes  gleamed  behind  the  cover  of  thick, 
tufted,  overhung  eyebrows.  He  saluted  and  stood  sailor-fash- 
ion, turning  his  cap  round  in  his  hands. 


180  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Your  name  ? "  asked  Holmes. 

"Patrick  Cairns." 

"  Harpooner  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.     Twenty-six  voyages. " 

"  Dundee,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  And  ready  to  start  with  an  exploring  ship  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"What  wages?" 

"  Eight  pounds  a  month. " 

"  Could  you  start  at  once  ?  " 

"  As  soon  as  I  get  my  kit. " 

"  Have  you  your  papers  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir. "  He  took  a  sheaf  of  worn  and  greasy  forms 
from  his  pocket.  Holmes  glanced  over  them  and  returned 
them. 

"  You  are  just  the  man  I  want, "  said  he.  "  Here's  the  agree- 
ment on  the  side-table.  If  you  sign  it  the  whole  matter  will  be 
settled. " 

The  seaman  lurched  across  the  room  and  took  up  the  pen. 

"  Shall  I  sign  here  ?  "  he  asked,  stooping  over  the  table. 

Holmes  leaned  over  his  shoulder  and  passed  both  hands  over 
his  neck. 

"This  will  do,  "said  he. 

I  heard  a  click  of  steel  and  a  bellow  like  an  enraged  bull.  The 
next  instant  Holmes  and  the  seaman  were  rolling  on  the  ground 
together.  He  was  a  man  of  such  gigantic  strength  that,  even 
with  the  handcuffs  which  Holmes  had  so  deftly  fastened  upon 
his  wrists,  he  would  have  very  quickly  overpowered  my  friend 
had  Hopkins  and  I  not  rushed  to  his  rescue.  Only  when  I 
pressed  the  cold  muzzle  of  the  revolver  to  his  temple  did  he  at 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        181 

last  understand  that  resistance  was  vain.  We  lashed  his  ankles 
with  cord,  and  rose  breathless  from  the  struggle. 

"  I  must  really  apologize,  Hopkins, "  said  Sherlock  Holmes, 
"  I  fear  that  the  scrambled  eggs  are  cold.  However,  you  will 
enjoy  the  rest  of  your  breakfast  all  the  better,  will  you  not,  for 
the  thought  that  you  have  brought  your  case  to  a  triumphant 
conclusion. " 

Stanley  Hopkins  was  speechless  with  amazement. 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say,  Mr.  Holmes,  he  blurted  out  at 
last,  with  a  very  red  face.  "  It  seems  to  me  that  I  have  been 
making  a  fool  of  myself  from  the  beginning.  I  understand 
now,  what  I  should  never  have  forgotten,  that  I  am  the  pupil 
and  you  are  the  master.  Even  now  I  see  what  you  have  done, 
but  I  don't  know  how  you  did  it,  or  what  it  signifies. " 

"Well,  well,"  said  Holmes,  good  humouredly.  "We  all 
learn  by  experience,  and  your  lesson  this  time  is  that  you  should 
never  lose  sight  of  the  alternative.  You  were  so  absorbed  in 
young  Neligan  that  you  could  not  spare  a  thought  to  Patrick 
Cairns,  the  true  murderer  of  Peter  Carey.  " 

The  hoarse  voice  of  the  seaman  broke  in  on  our  conversation. 

"  See  here,  mister, "  said  he,  "  I  make  no  complaint  of  being 
man-handled  in  this  fashion,  but  I  would  have  you  call  things 
by  their  right  names.  You  say  I  murdered  Peter  Carey,  I 
say  I  killed  Peter  Carey,  and  there's  all  the  difference.  Maybe 
you  don't  believe  what  I  say.  Maybe  you  think  I  am  just  sling- 
ing you  a  yarn. " 

"  Not  at  all, "  said  Holmes.  "  Let  us  hear  what  you  have  to 
say." 

"  It's  soon  told,  and,  by  the  Lord,  every  word  of  it  is  truth. 
I  knew  Black  Peter,  and  when  he  pulled  out  his  knife  I  whipped 
a  harpoon  through  him  sharp,  for  I  knew  that  it  was  him  or  me. 


182       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

That's  how  he  died.  You  can  call  it  murder.  Anyhow,  I'd  as 
soon  die  with  a  rope  round  my  neck  as  with  Black  Peter's  knife 
in  my  heart. " 

"  How  came  you  there  ?  "  asked  Holmes. 

"  I'll  tell  it  you  from  the  beginning.  Just  sit  me  up  a  little,  so 
as  I  can  speak  easy.  It  was  in  '83  that  it  happened  —  August  of 
that  year.  Peter  Carey  was  master  of  the  Sea  Unicorn,  and  I 
was  spare  harpooner.  We  were  coming  out  of  the  ice-pack  on 
our  way  home,  with  head  winds  and  a  week's  southerly  gale, 
when  we  picked  up  a  little  craft  that  had  been  blown  north. 
There  was  one  man  on  her  —  a  landsman.  The  crew  had 
thought  she  would  founder,  and  had  made  for  the  Norwegian 
coast  in  the  dinghy.  I  guess  they  were  all  drowned.  Well,  we 
took  him  on  board,  this  man,  and  he  and  the  skipper  had  some 
long  talks  in  the  cabin.  All  the  baggage  we  took  off  with  him 
was  one  tin  box.  So  far  as  I  know,  the  man's  name  was  never 
mentioned,  and  on  the  second  night  he  disappeared  as  if  he  had 
never  been.  It  was  given  out  that  he  had  either  thrown  him- 
self overboard  or  fallen  overboard  in  the  heavy  weather  that  we 
were  having.  Only  one  man  knew  what  had  happened  to  him, 
and  that  was  me,  for,  with  my  own  eyes,  I  saw  the  skipper  tip 
up  his  heels  and  put  him  over  the  rail  in  the  middle  watch  of 
a  dark  night,  two  days  before  we  sighted  the  Shetland  Lights. 

"  Well,  I  kept  my  knowledge  to  myself,  and  waited  to  see 
what  would  come  of  it.  When  we  got  back  to  Scotland  it  was 
easily  hushed  up,  and  nobody  asked  any  questions.  A  stranger 
died  by  accident,  and  it  was  nobody's  business  to  inquire. 
Shortly  after  Peter  Carey  gave  up  the  sea,  and  it  was  long  years 
before  I  could  find  where  he  was.  I  guessed  that  he  had  done 
the  deed  for  the  sake  of  what  was  in  that  tin  box,  and  that  he 
could  afford  now  to  pay  me  well  for  keeping  my  mouth  shut. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER  183 

"  I  found  out  where  he  was  through  a  sailor  man  that  had  met 
him  in  London,  and  down  I  went  to  squeeze  him.  The  first 
night  he  was  reasonable  enough,  and  was  ready  to  give  me  what 
would  make  me  free  of  the  sea  for  life.  We  were  to  fix  it  all  two 
nights  later.  When  I  came,  I  found  him  three  parts  drunk  and 
in  a  vile  temper.  We  sat  down  and  we  drank  and  we  yarned 
about  old  times,  but  the  more  he  drank  the  less  I  liked  the  look 
on  his  face.  I  spotted  that  harpoon  upon  the  wall,  and  I 
thought  I  might  need  it  before  I  was  through.  Then  at  last  he 
broke  out  at  me,  spitting  and  cursing,  with  murder  in  his  eyes 
and  a  great  clasp-knife  in  his  hand.  He  had  not  time  to  get  it 
from  the  sheath  before  I  had  the  harpoon  through  him.  Heav- 
ens !  what  a  yell  he  gave !  and  his  face  gets  between  me  and  my 
sleep.  I  stood  there,  with  his  blood  splashing  round  me,  and  I 
waited  for  a  bit,  but  all  was  quiet,  so  I  took  heart  once  more.  I 
looked  round,  and  there  was  the  tin  box  on  the  shelf.  I  had  as 
much  right  to  it  as  Peter  Carey,  anyhow,  so  I  took  it  with  me 
and  left  the  hut.  Like  a  fool  I  left  my  baccy-pouch  upon  the 
table. 

"  Now  I'll  tell  you  the  queerest  part  of  the  whole  story.  I 
had  hardly  got  outside  the  hut  when  I  heard  someone  coming, 
and  I  hid  among  the  bushes.  A  man  came  slinking  along,  went 
into  the  hut,  gave  a  cry  as  if  he  had  seen  a  ghost,  and  legged  it  as 
hard  as  he  could  run  until  he  was  out  of  sight.  Who  he  was  or 
what  he  wanted  is  more  than  I  can  tell.  For  my  part  I  walked 
ten  miles,  got  a  train  at  Tunbridge  Wells,  and  so  reached  Lon- 
don, and  no  one  the  wiser. 

"  Well,  when  I  came  to  examine  the  box  I  found  there  was  no 
money  in  it,  and  nothing  but  papers  that  I  would  not  dare  to 
sell.  I  had  lost  my  hold  on  Black  Peter,  and  was  stranded  in 
London  without  a  shilling.  There  was  only  my  trade  left.  I 


184       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

saw  these  advertisements  about  harpooners,  and  high  wages,  so 
I  went  to  the  shipping  agents,  and  they  sent  me  here.  That's 
all  I  know,  and  I  say  again  that  if  I  killed  Black  Peter,  the  law 
should  give  me  thanks,  for  I  saved  them  the  price  of  a  hempen 
rope. " 

"  A  very  clear  statement, "  said  Holmes,  rising  and  lighting 
his  pipe.  "  I  think,  Hopkins,  that  you  should  lose  no  time  in 
conveying  your  prisoner  to  a  place  of  safety.  This  room  is  not 
well  adapted  for  a  cell,  and  Mr.  Patrick  Cairns  occupies  too 
large  a  proportion  of  our  carpet.  " 

"  Mr.  Holmes, "  said  Hopkins, "  I  do  not  know  how  to  express 
my  gratitude.  Even  now  I  do  not  understand  how  you  attained 
this  result. " 

"  Simply  by  having  the  good  fortune  to  get  the  right  clue  from 
the  beginning.  It  is  very  possible  if  I  had  known  about  this 
note-book  it  might  have  led  away  my  thoughts,  as  it  did  yours. 
But  all  I  heard  pointed  in  the  one  direction.  The  amazing 
strength,  the  skill  in  the  use  of  the  harpoon,  the  rum  and  water, 
the  sealskin  tobacco-pouch  with  the  coarse  tobacco  —  all  these 
pointed  to  a  seaman,  and  one  who  had  been  a  whaler.  I  was 
convinced  that  the  initials '  P.  C. '  upon  the  pouch  were  a  coin- 
cidence, and  not  those  of  Peter  Carey,  since  he  seldom  smoked, 
and  no  pipe  was  found  in  his  cabin.  You  remember  that  I 
asked  whether  whisky  and  brandy  were  in  the  cabin.  You 
said  they  were.  How  many  landsmen  are  there  who  would 
drink  rum  when  they  could  get  these  other  spirits  ?  Yes,  I  was 
certain  it  was  a  seaman. " 

"  And  how  did  you  find  him  ?  " 

"  My  dear  sir,  the  problem  had  become  a  very  simple  one.  If 
it  were  a  seaman,  it  could  only  be  a  seaman  who  had  been  with 
him  on  the  Sea  Unicorn.  So  far  as  I  could  learn  he  had  sailed 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  BLACK  PETER        185 

in  no  other  ship.  I  spent  three  days  in  wiring  to  Dundee,  and 
at  the  end  of  that  time  I  had  ascertained  the  names  of  the  crew 
of  the  Sea  Unicorn  in  1883.  When  I  found  Patrick  Cairns 
among  the  harpooners,  my  research  was  nearing  its  end.  I  ar- 
gued that  the  man  was  probably  in  London,  and  that  he  would 
desire  to  leave  the  country  for  a  time.  I  therefore  spent  some 
days  in  the  East  End,  devised  an  Arctic  expedition,  put  forth 
tempting  terms  for  harpooners  who  would  serve  under  Captain 
Basil — and  behold  the  result ! " 

"Wonderful!"  cried  Hopkins.  "Wonderful!" 
"  You  must  obtain  the  release  of  young  Neligan  as  soon  as 
possible, "  said  Holmes.  "  I  confess  that  I  think  you  owe  him 
some  apology.  The  tin  box  must  be  returned  to  him,  but,  of 
course,  the  securities  which  Peter  Carey  has  sold  are  lost  for 
ever.  There's  the  cab,  Hopkins,  and  you  can  remove  your 
man.  If  you  want  me  for  the  trial,  my  address  and  that  of  Wat- 
son will  be  somewhere  in  Norway  —  I'll  send  particulars  later." 


VII 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
CHARLES  AUGUSTUS  MILVERTON 

IT  is  years  since  the  incidents  of  which  I  speak  took  place, 
and  yet  it  is  with  diffidence  that  I  allude  to  them.  For  a  long 
time,  even  with  the  utmost  discretion  and  reticence,  it  would 
have  been  impossible  to  make  the  facts  public,  but  now  the 
principal  person  concerned  is  beyond  the  reach  of  human  law, 
and  with  due  suppression  the  story  may  be  told  in  such  fashion 
as  to  injure  no  one.  It  records  an  absolutely  unique  experience 
in  the  career  both  of  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  and  of  myself.  The 
reader  will  excuse  me  if  I  conceal  the  date  or  any  other  fact  by 
which  he  might  trace  the  actual  occurrence. 

We  had  been  out  for  one  of  our  evening  rambles,  Holmes  and 
I,  and  had  returned  about  six  o'clock  on  a  cold,  frosty,  winter's 
evening.  As  Holmes  turned  up  the  lamp  the  light  fell  upon  a 
card  on  the  table.  He  glanced  at  it,  and  then,  with  an  ejacula- 
tion of  disgust,  threw  it  on  the  floor.  I  picked  it  up  and  read : — 

CHARLES  AUGUSTUS  MILVERTON, 

APPLEDORE  TOWERS, 
AGENT.  HAMPSTEAD. 

"Who  is  he?"   I  asked. 


188       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  The  worst  man  in  London, "  Holmes  answered,  as  he  sat 
down  and  stretched  his  legs  before  the  fire.  "  Is  anything  on 
the  back  of  the  card  ?  " 

I  turned  it  over. 

"  Will  call  at  6.30  —  C.  A.  M., "  I  read. 

"Hum!  He's  about  due.  Do  you  feel  a  creeping,  shrink- 
ing sensation,  Watson,  when  you  stand  before  the  serpents  in 
the  Zoo,  and  see  the  slithery,  gliding,  venomous  creatures,  with 
their  deadly  eyes  and  wicked,  flattened  faces?  Well,  that's 
how  Milverton  impresses  me.  I've  had  to  do  with  fifty  mur- 
derers in  my  career,  but  the  worst  of  them  never  gave  me  the 
repulsion  which  I  have  for  this  fellow.  And  yet  I  can't  get  out 
of  doing  business  with  him  —  indeed,  he  is  here  at  my  invita- 
tion. " 

"But  who  is  he?" 

"  I'll  tell  you,  Watson.  He  is  the  king  of  all  the  blackmail- 
ers. Heaven  help  the  man,  and  still  more  the  woman,  whose 
secret  and  reputation  come  into  the  power  of  Milverton !  With 
a  smiling  face  and  a  heart  of  marble,  he  will  squeeze  and  squeeze 
until  he  has  drained  them  dry.  The  fellow  is  a  genius  in  his 
way,  and  would  have  made  his  mark  in  some  more  savoury 
trade.  His  method  is  as  follows :  He  allows  it  to  be  known  that 
he  is  prepared  to  pay  very  high  sums  for  letters  which  compro- 
mise people  of  wealth  and  position.  He  receives  these  wares 
not  only  from  treacherous  valets  or  maids,  but  frequently  from 
genteel  ruffians,  who  have  gained  the  confidence  and  affection  of 
trusting  women.  He  deals  with  no  niggard  hand.  I  happen 
to  know  that  he  paid  seven  hundred  pounds  to  a  footman  for  a 
note  two  lines  in  length,  and  that  the  ruin  of  a  noble  family  was 
the  result.  Everything  which  is  in  the  market  goes  to  Milverton, 
and  there  are  hundreds  in  this  great  city  who  turn  white  at 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  189 

his  name.  No  one  knows  where  his  grip  may  fall,  for  he  is 
far  too  rich  and  far  too  cunning  to  work  from  hand  to  mouth. 
He  will  hold  a  card  back  for  years  in  order  to  play  it  at  the  mo- 
ment when  the  stake  is  best  worth  winning.  I  have  said  that 
he  is  the  worst  man  in  London,  and  I  would  ask  you  how  could 
one  compare  the  ruffian,  who  in  hot  blood  bludgeons  his  mate, 
with  this  man,  who  methodically  and  at  his  leisure  tortures  the 
soul  and  wrings  the  nerves  in  order  to  add  to  his  already  swollen 
money-bags  ?  " 

I  had  seldom  heard  my  friend  speak  with  such  intensity  of 
feeling. 

'*  But  surely, "  said  I,  "  the  fellow  must  be  within  the  grasp  of 
the  law?" 

"  Technically,  no  doubt,  but  practically  not.  What  would  it 
profit  a  woman,  for  example,  to  get  him  a  few  months'  impris- 
onment, if  her  own  ruin  must  immediately  follow  ?  His  victims 
dare  not  hit  back.  If  ever  he  blackmailed  an  innocent  person, 
then  indeed  we  should  have  him,  but  he  is  as  cunning  as  the 
Evil  One.  No,  no,  we  must  find  other  ways  to  fight  him. " 

"  And  why  is  he  here  ?  " 

*  Because  an  illustrious  client  has  placed  her  piteous  case  in 
my  hands.  It  is  the  Lady  Eva  Blackwell,  the  most  beautiful 
debutante  of  last  season.  She  is  to  be  married  in  a  fortnight  to 
the  Earl  of  Dovercourt.  This  fiend  has  several  imprudent  let- 
ters —  imprudent,  Watson,  nothing  worse  —  which  were  written 
to  an  impecunious  young  squire  in  the  country.  They  would 
suffice  to  break  off  the  match.  Milverton  will  send  the  letters 
to  the  Earl  unless  a  large  sum  of  money  is  paid  him.  I  have 
been  commissioned  to  meet  him,  and  —  to  make  the  best  terms 
I  can." 

At  that  instant  there  was  a  clatter  and  a  rattle  in  the  street 


190  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

below.  Looking  down  I  saw  a  stately  carriage  and  pair,  the 
brilliant  lamps  gleaming  on  the  glossy  haunches  of  the  noble 
chestnuts.  A  footman  opened  the  door,  and  a  small,  stout  man 
in  a  shaggy  astrakhan  overcoat  descended.  A  minute  later  he 
was  in  the  room. 

Charles  Augustus  Milverton  was  a  man  of  fifty,  with  a  large, 
intellectual  head,  a  round,  plump,  hairless  face,  a  perpetual, 
frozen  smile,  and  two  keen  grey  eyes,  which  gleamed  brightly 
from  behind  broad,  gold-rimmed  glasses.  There  was  some- 
thing of  Mr.  Pickwick's  benevolence  in  his  appearance,  marred 
only  by  the  insincerity  of  the  fixed  smile  and  by  the  hard  glitter 
of  those  restless  and  penetrating  eyes.  His  voice  was  as  smooth 
and  suave  as  his  countenance,  as  he  advanced  with  a  plump 
little  hand  extended,  murmuring  his  regret  for  having  missed 
us  at  his  first  visit.  Holmes  disregarded  the  outstretched  hand 
and  looked  at  him  with  a  face  of  granite.  Milverton's  smile 
broadened,  he  shrugged  his  shoulders,  removed  his  overcoat, 
folded  it  with  great  deliberation  over  the  back  of  a  chair,  and 
then  took  a  seat. 

"  This  gentleman  ?  "  said  he,  with  a  wave  in  my  direction. 
"  Is  it  discreet  ?  Is  it  right  ?  " 

"  Dr.  Watson  is  my  friend  and  partner.  " 

"  Very  good,  Mr.  Holmes.  It  is  only  in  your  client's  interests 
that  I  protested.  The  matter  is  so  very  delicate  —  " 

"  Dr.  Watson  has  already  heard  of  it. " 

"Then  we  can  proceed  to  business.  You  say  that  you  are 
acting  for  Lady  Eva.  Has  she  empowered  you  to  accept  my 
terms  ?  " 

"  What  are  your  terms  ?  " 

"  Seven  thousand  pounds. " 

"  And  the  alternative .  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  191 

"  My  dear  sir,  it  is  painful  for  me  to  discuss  it,  but  if  the 
money  is  not  paid  on  the  14th,  there  certainly  will  be  no  marriage 
on  the  18th. "  His  insufferable  smile  was  more  complacent 
than  ever 

Holmes  thought  for  a  little. 

"  You  appear  to  me, "  he  said,  at  last,  "  to  be  taking  matters 
too  much  for  granted.  I  am,  of  course,  familiar  with  the  con- 
tents of  these  letters.  My  client  will  certainly  do  what  I  may 
advise.  I  shall  counsel  her  to  tell  her  future  husband  the 
whole  story,  and  to  trust  to  his  generosity. " 

Milverton  chuckled. 

"  You  evidently  do  not  know  the  Earl, "  said  he. 

From  the  baffled  look  upon  Holmes'  face,  I  could  see  clearly 
that  he  did. 

"  What  harm  is  there  in  the  letters  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  They  are  sprightly  —  very  sprightly, "  Milverton  answered. 
"The  lady  was  a  charming  correspondent.  But  I  can  assure 
you  that  the  Earl  of  Dovercourt  would  fail  to  appreciate  them. 
However,  since  you  think  otherwise,  we  will  let  it  rest  at  that. 
It  is  purely  a  matter  of  business.  If  you  think  that  it  is  in  the 
best  interests  of  your  client  that  these  letters  should  be  placed 
in  the  hands  of  the  Earl,  then  you  would  indeed  be  foolish  to 
pay  so  large  a  sum  of  money  to  regain  them. "  He  rose  and 
seized  his  astrakhan  coat. 

Holmes  was  grey  with  anger  and  mortification. 

"  Wait  a  little, "  he  said.  "  You  go  too  fast.  We  should  cer- 
tainly make  every  effort  to  avoid  scandal  in  so  delicate  a  mat- 
ter. " 

Milverton  relapsed  into  his  chair. 

"  I  was  sure  that  you  would  see  it  in  that  light, "  he  purred. 

"  At  the  same  time, "  Holmes  continued,  "  Lady  Eva  is  not  a 


192  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

wealthy  woman.  I  assure  you  that  two  thousand  pounds  would 
be  a  drain  upon  her  resources,  and  that  the  sum  you  name  is 
utterly  beyond  her  power.  I  beg,  therefore,  that  you  will  mod- 
erate your  demands,  and  that  you  will  return  the  letters  at  the 
price  I  indicate,  which  is,  I  assure  you,  the  highest  that  you  can 
get." 

Milverton's  smile  broadened  and  his  eyes  twinkled  humor- 
ously. 

"  I  am  aware  that  what  you  say  is  true  about  the  lady's  re- 
sources,"  said  he.  "At  the  same  time  you  must  admit  that 
the  occasion  of  a  lady's  marriage  is  a  very  suitable  time  for  her 
friends  and  relatives  to  make  some  little  effort  upon  her  behalf. 
They  may  hesitate  as  to  an  acceptable  wedding  present.  Let 
me  assure  them  that  this  little  bundle  of  letters  would  give  more 
joy  than  all  the  candelabra  and  butter-dishes  in  London. " 

"  It  is  impossible, "  said  Holmes. 

"Dear  me,  dear  me,  how  unfortunate!"  cried  Milverton, 
taking  out  a  bulky  pocket-book.  "  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
ladies  are  ill-advised  in  not  making  an  effort.  Look  at  this ! " 
He  held  up  a  little  note  with  a  coat-of-arms  upon  the  envelope. 
"  That  belongs  to  —  well,  perhaps  it  is  hardly  fair  to  tell  the 
name  until  to-morrow  morning.  But  at  that  time  it  will  be  in 
the  hands  of  the  lady's  husband.  And  all  because  she  will  not 
find  a  beggarly  sum  which  she  could  get  by  turning  her  dia- 
monds into  paste.  It  is  such  a  pity !  Now,  you  remember  the 
sudden  end  of  the  engagement  between  the  Honourable  Miss 
Miles  and  Colonel  Dorking  ?  Only  two  days  before  the  wed- 
ding, there  was  a  paragraph  in  the  Morning  Post  to  say  that  it 
was  all  off.  And  why  ?  It  is  almost  incredible,  but  the  absurd 
sum  of  twelve  hundred  pounds  would  have  settled  the  whole 
question.  Is  it  not  pitiful  ?  And  here  I  find  you,  a  man  of 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON        183 

sense,  boggling  about  terms,  when  your  client's  future  and  hon- 
our are  at  stake.  You  surprise  me,  Mr.  Holmes. " 

"  What  I  say  is  true, "  Holmes  answered.  "  The  money  can- 
not be  found.  Surely  it  is  better  for  you  to  take  the  substantial 
sum  which  I  offer  than  to  ruin  this  woman's  career,  which  can 
profit  you  in  no  way  ?  " 

"There  you  make  a  mistake,  Mr.  Holmes.  An  exposure 
would  profit  me  indirectly  to  a  considerable  extent.  I  have 
eight  or  ten  similar  cases  maturing.  If  it  was  circulated  among 
them  that  I  had  made  a  severe  example  of  the  Lady  Eva,  I 
should  find  all  of  them  much  more  open  to  reason.  You  see  my 
point  ?  " 

Holmes  sprang  from  his  chair. 

"  Get  behind  him,  Watson ! "  Don't  let  him  out !  Now,  sir, 
let  us  see  the  contents  of  that  note-book.  " 

Milverton  had  glided  as  quick  as  a  rat  to  the  side  of  the  room, 
and  stood  with  his  back  against  the  wall. 

"  Mr.  Holmes,  Mr.  Holmes, "  he  said,  turning  the  front  of  his 
coat  and  exhibiting  the  butt  of  a  large  revolver,  which  projected 
from  the  inside  pocket.  "I  have  been  expecting  you  to  do 
something  original.  This  has  been  done  so  often,  and  what 
good  has  ever  come  from  it  ?  I  assure  you  that  I  am  armed  to  the 
teeth,  and  I  am  perfectly  prepared  to  use  my  weapons,  knowing 
that  the  law  will  support  me.  Besides,  your  supposition  that  I 
would  bring  the  letters  here  in  a  note-book  is  entirely  mistaken. 
I  would  do  nothing  so  foolish.  And  now,  gentlemen,  I  have  one 
or  two  little  interviews  this  evening,  and  it  is  a  long  drive  to 
Hampstead. "  He  stepped  forward,  took  up  his  coat,  laid  his 
hand  on  his  revolver,  and  turned  to  the  door.  I  picked  up  a 
chair,  but  Holmes  shook  his  head,  and  I  laid  it  down  again. 
With  a  bow,  a  smile,  and  a  twinkle,  Milverton  was  out  of  the 


194       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

room,  and  a  few  moments  after  we  heard  the  slam  of  the  car- 
riage door  and  the  rattle  of  the  wheels  as  he  drove  away. 

Holmes  sat  motionless  by  the  fire,  his  hands  buried  deep  in 
his  trouser  pockets,  his  chin  sunk  upon  his  breast,  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  glowing  embers.  For  half  an  hour  he  was  silent  and 
still.  Then,  with  the  gesture  of  a  man  who  has  taken  his  de- 
cision, he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  passed  into  his  bedroom.  A 
little  later  a  rakish  young  workman,  with  a  goatee  beard  and  a 
swagger,  lit  his  clay  pipe  at  the  lamp  before  descending  into  the 
street.  "  I'll  be  back  some  time,  Watson, "  said  he,  and  van- 
ished into  the  night.  I  understood  that  he  had  opened  his  cam- 
paign against  Charles  Augustus  Milverton,  but  I  little  dreamed 
the  strange  shape  which  that  campaign  was  destined  to  take.  " 

For  some  days  Holmes -came  and  went  at  all  hours  in  this 
attire,  but  beyond  a  remark  that  his  time  was  spent  at  Hamp- 
stead,  and  that  it  was  not  wasted,  I  knew  nothing  of  what  he 
was  doing.  At  last,  however,  on  a  wild,  tempestuous  evening, 
when  the  wind  screamed  and  rattled  against  the  windows,  he 
returned  from  his  last  expedition,  and  having  removed  his  dis- 
guise he  sat  before  the  fire  and  laughed  heartily  in  his  silent 
inward  fashion. 

"  You  would  not  call  me  a  marrying  man,  Watson  ?  " 

"No,  indeed!" 

"  You'll  be  interested  to  hear  that  I'm  engaged. " 

"  My  dear  fellow !  I  congrat  —  " 

"  To  Milverton's  housemaid.  " 

"Good  Heavens,  Holmes!" 

"  I  wanted  information,  Watson. " 

"  Surely  you  have  gone  too  far  ?  " 

"  It  was  a  most  necessary  step.  I  am  a  plumber  with  a  rising 
business,  Escott  by  name.  I  have  walked  out  with  her  each 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  195 

evening,  and  I  have  talked  with  her.  Good  Heavens,  those 
talks ! "  However,  I  have  got  all  I  wanted.  I  know  Milverton's 
house  as  I  know  the  palm  of  my  hand.  " 

"  But  the  girl,  Holmes  ?  " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  You  can't  help  it,  my  dear  Watson.  You  must  play  your 
cards  as  best  you  can  when  such  a  stake  is  on  the  table.  How- 
ever, I  rejoice  to  say  that  I  have  a  hated  rival,  who  will  certainly 
cut  me  out  the  instant  that  my  back  is  turned.  What  a  splendid 
night  it  is!" 

"  You  like  this  weather  ?  " 

"It  suits  my  purpose.  Watson,  I  mean  to  burgle  Milver- 
ton's house  to-night. " 

I  had  a  catching  of  the  breath,  and  my  skin  went  cold  at  the 
words,  which  were  slowly  uttered  in  a  tone  of  concentrated  reso- 
lution. As  a  flash  of  lightning  in  the  night  shows  up  in  an  in- 
stant every  detail  of  a  wild  landscape,  so  at  one  glance  I  seemed 
to  see  every  possible  result  of  such  an  action  —  the  detection,  the 
capture,  the  honoured  career  ending  in  irreparable  failure  and 
disgrace,  my  friend  himself  lying  at  the  mercy  of  the  odious 
Milverton. 

"  For  Heaven's  sake,  Holmes,  think  what  you  are  doing, "  I 
cried. 

"  My  dear  fellow,  I  have  given  it  every  consideration.  I  am 
never  precipitate  in  my  actions,  nor  would  I  adopt  so  energetic 
and,  indeed,  so  dangerous  a  course,  if  any  other  were  possible. 
Let  us  look  at  the  matter  clearly  and  fairly.  I  suppose  that  you 
will  admit  that  the  action  is  morally  justifiable,  though  technic- 
ally criminal.  To  burgle  his  house  is  no  more  than  to  forcibly 
take  his  pocket-book  —  an  action  in  which  you  were  prepared 
to  aid  me. " 


196 

I  turned  it  over  in  my  mind. 

"  Yes, "  I  said,  "  it  is  morally  justifiable  so  long  as  our  object 
is  to  take  no  articles  save  those  which  are  used  for  an  illegal 
purpose. " 

"  Exactly.  Since  it  is  morally  justifiable,  I  have  only  to  con- 
sider the  question  of  personal  risk.  Surely  a  gentleman  should 
not  lay  much  stress  upon  this,  when  a  lady  is  in  most  desperate 
need  of  his  help  ?  " 

"  You  will  be  in  such  a  false  position.  " 

"Well,  that  is  part  of  the  risk.  There  is  no  other  possible 
way  of  regaining  these  letters.  The  unfortunate  lady  has  not 
the  money,  and  there  are  none  of  her  people  in  whom  she  could 
confide.  To-morrow  is  the  last  day  of  grace,  and  unless  we  can 
get  the  letters  to-night,  this  villain  will  be  as  good  as  his  word 
and  will  bring  about  her  ruin.  I  must,  therefore,  abandon  my 
client  to  her  fate  or  I  must  play  this  last  card.  Between  our- 
selves, Watson,  it's  a  sporting  duel  between  this  fellow  Milver- 
ton  and  me.  He  had,  as  you  saw,  the  best  of  the  first  exchanges, 
but  my  self-respect  and  my  reputation  are  concerned  to  fight  it 
to  a  finish. " 

"Well,  I  don't  like  it,  but  I  suppose  it  must  be,"  said  I. 
"When  do  we  start?" 

"  You  are  not  coming. " 

"  Then  you  are  not  going, "  said  I.  "  I  give  you  my  word  of 
honour  —  and  I  never  broke  it  in  my  life  —  that  I  will  take  a 
cab  straight  to  the  police-station  and  give  you  away,  unless 
you  let  me  share  this  adventure  with  you. " 

"  You  can't  help  me.  " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  You  can't  tell  what  may  happen. 
Anyway,  my  resolution  is  taken.  Other  people  beside  you  have 
self-respect,  and  even  reputations.  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  197 

Holmes  had  looked  annoyed,  but  his  brow  cleared,  and  he 
clapped  me  on  the  shoulder. 

"Well,  well,  my  dear  fellow,  be  it  so.  We  have  shared  this 
same  room  for  some  years,  and  it  would  be  amusing  if  we  ended 
by  sharing  the  same  cell.  You  know,  Watson,  I  don't  mind 
confessing  to  you  that  I  have  always  had  an  idea  that  I  would 
have  made  a  highly  efficient  criminal.  This  is  the  chance  of  my 
lifetime  in  that  direction.  See  here!"  He  took  a  neat  little 
leather  case  out  of  a  drawer,  and  opening  it  he  exhibited  a  num- 
ber of  shining  instruments.  "  This  is  a  first-class,  up-to-date 
burgling  kit,  with  nickel-plated  jemmy,  diamond-tipped  glass- 
cutter,  adaptable  keys,  and  every  modern  improvement  which 
the  march  of  civilization  demands.  Here,  too,  is  my  dark 
lantern.  Everything  is  in  order.  Have  you  a  pair  of  silent 
shoes  ?  " 

"  I  have  rubber-soled  tennis  shoes. " 

"  Excellent !    And  a  mask  ?  " 

"  I  can  make  a  couple  out  of  black  silk.  " 

"  I  can  see  that  you  have  a  strong,  natural  turn  for  this  sort  of 
thing.  Very  good,  do  you  make  the  masks.  We  shall  have 
some  cold  supper  before  we  start.  It  is  now  nine-thirty.  At 
eleven  we  shall  drive  as  far  as  Church  Row.  It  is  a  quarter  of 
an  hour's  walk  from  there  to  Appledore  Towers.  We  shall 
be  at  work  before  midnight.  Milverton  is  a  heavy  sleeper,  and 
retires  punctually  at  ten-thirty.  With  any  luck  we  should  be 
back  here  by  two,  with  the  Lady  Eva's  letters  in  my  pocket. " 

Holmes  and  I  put  on  our  dress-clothes,  so  that  we  might, 
appear  to  be  two  theatre-goers  homeward  bound.  In  Ox- 
ford Street  we  picked  up  a  hansom  and  drove  to  an  address 
in  Hampstead.  Here  we  paid  off  our  cab,  and  with  our 
great  coats  buttoned  up,  for  it  was  bitterly  cold  and  the  wind 


198  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

seemed  to  blow   through  us,  we  walked   along  the  edge  of 
the  heath. 

"  It's  a  business  that  needs  delicate  treatment, "  said  Holmes. 
"  These  documents  are  contained  in  a  safe  in  the  fellow's  study, 
and  the  study  is  the  ante-room  of  his  bed-chamber.  On  the 
other  hand,  like  all  these  stout,  little  men  who  do  themselves 
well,  he  is  a  plethoric  sleeper.  Agatha  —  that's  my  fiancee  — 
says  it  is  a  joke  in  the  servants'  hall  that  it's  impossible  to  wake 
the  master.  He  has  a  secretary  who  is  devoted  to  his  interests, 
and  never  budges  from  the  study  all  day.  That's  why  we  are 
going  at  night.  Then  he  has  a  beast  of  a  dog  which  roams  the 
garden.  I  met  Agatha  late  the  last  two  evenings,  and  she  locks 
the  brute  up  so  as  to  give  me  a  clear  run.  This  is  the  house, 
this  big  one  in  its  own  grounds.  Through  the  gate  —  now  to 
the  right  among  the  laurels.  We  might  put  on  our  masks  here, 
I  think.  You  see,  there  is  not  a  glimmer  of  light  in  any  of  the 
windows,  and  everything  is  working  splendidly.  " 

With  our  black  silk  face-coverings,  which  turned  us  into  two 
of  the  most  truculent  figures  in  London,  we  stole  up  to  the  silent, 
gloomy  house.  A  sort  of  tiled  veranda  extended  along  one  side 
of  it,  lined  by  several  windows  and  two  doors. 

"That's  his  bedroom,"  Holmes  whispered.  "This  door 
opens  straight  into  the  study.  It  would  suit  us  best,  but  it  is 
bolted  as  well  as  locked,  and  we  should  make  too  much  noise 
getting  in.  Come  round  here.  There's  a  greenhouse  which 
opens  into  the  drawing-room. " 

The  place  was  locked,  but  Holmes  removed  a  circle  of  glass 
and  turned  the  key  from  the  inside.  An  instant  afterwards  he 
had  closed  the  door  behind  us,  and  we  had  become  felons  in  the 
eyes  of  the  law.  The  thick,  warm  air  of  the  conservatory  and 
the  rich,  choking  fragrance  of  exotic  plants  took  us  by  the  throat. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  199 

He  seized  my  hand  in  the  darkness  and  led  me  swiftly  past 
banks  of  shrubs  which  brushed  against  our  faqes.  Holmes  had 
remarkable  powers,  carefully  cultivated,  of  seeing  in  the  dark. 
Still  holding  my  hand  in  one  of  his,  he  opened  a  door,  and  I  was 
vaguely  conscious  that  we  had  entered  a  large  room  in  which  a 
cigar  had  been  smoked  not  long  before.  He  felt  his  way  among 
the  furniture,  opened  another  door,  and  closed  it  behind  us. 
Putting  out  my  hand  I  felt  several  coats  hanging  from  the  wall, 
and  I  understood  that  I  was  in  a  passage.  We  passed  along  it, 
and  Holmes  very  gently  opened  a  door  upon  the  right-hand  side. 
Something  rushed  out  at  us  and  my  heart  sprang  into  my  mouth, 
but  I  could  have  laughed  when  I  realized  that  it  was  the  cat. 
A  fire  was  burning  in  this  new  room,  and  again  the  air  was 
heavy  with  tobacco  smoke.  Holmes  entered  on  tiptoe,  waited 
for  me  to  follow,  and  then  very  gently  closed  the  door.  We 
were  in  Milverton's  study,  and  a  portiere  at  the  farther  side 
showed  the  entrance  to  his  bedroom. 

It  was  a  good  fire,  and  the  room  was  illuminated  by  it.  Near 
the  door  I  saw  the  gleam  of  an  electric  switch,  but  it  was  un- 
necessary, even  if  it  had  been  safe,  to  turn  it  on.  At  one  side  of 
the  fireplace  was  a  heavy  curtain  which  covered  the  bay  win- 
dow we  had  seen  from  outside.  On  the  other  side  was  the  door 
which  communicated  with  the  veranda.  A  desk  stood  in  the 
centre,  with  a  turning-chair  of  shining  red  leather.  Opposite 
was  a  large  bookcase,  with  a  marble  bust  of  Athene  on  the  top. 
In  the  corner,  between  the  bookcase  and  the  wall,  there  stood 
a  tall,  green  safe,  the  firelight  flashing  back  from  the  polished 
brass  knobs  upon  its  face.  Holmes  stole  across  and  looked  at 
it.  Then  he  crept  to  the  door  of  the  bedroom,  and  stood  with 
slanting  head  listening  intently.  No  sound  came  from  within. 
Meanwhile  it  had  struck  me  that  it  would  be  wise  to  secure 


200  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

our  retreat  through  the  outer  door,  so  I  examined  it.  To 
my  amazement,  it  was  neither  locked  nor  bolted.  I  touched 
Holmes  on  the  arm,  and  he  turned  his  masked  face  in  that 
direction.  I  saw  him  start,  and  he  was  evidently  as  sur- 
prised as  I. 

"  I  don't  like  it, "  he  whispered,  putting  his  lips  to  my  very 
ear.  "  I  can't  quite  make  it  out.  Anyhow,  we  have  no  time  to 
lose." 

"Can  I  do  anything?" 

'*  Yes,  stand  by  the  door.  If  you  hear  anyone  come,  bolt  it 
on  the  inside,  and  we  can  get  away  as  we  came.  If  they  come 
the  other  way,  we  can  get  through  the  door  if  our  job  is  done,  or 
hide  behind  these  window  curtains  if  it  is  not.  Do  you  under- 
stand?" 

I  nodded,  and  stood  by  the  door.  My  first  feeling  of  fear  had 
passed  away,  and  I  thrilled  now  with  a  keener  zest  than  I  had 
ever  enjoyed  when  we  were  the  defenders  of  the  law  instead 
of  its  defiers.  The  high  object  of  our  mission,  the  conscious- 
ness that  it  was  unselfish  and  chivalrous,  the  villainous  char- 
acter of  our  opponent,  all  added  to  the  sporting  interest  of  the 
adventure.  Far  from  feeling  guilty,  I  rejoiced  and  exulted  in 
our  dangers.  With  a  glow  of  admiration  I  watched  Holmes 
unrolling  his  case  of  instruments  and  choosing  his  tool  with  the 
calm,  scientific  accuracy  of  a  surgeon  who  performs  a  delicate 
operation.  I  knew  that  the  opening  of  safes  was  a  particular 
hobby  with  him,  and  I  understood  the  joy  which  it  gave  him 
to  be  confronted  with  this  green  and  gold  monster,  the  dragon 
which  held  in  its  maw  the  reputations  of  many  fair  ladies. 
Turning  up  the  cuffs  of  his  dress-coat  —  he  had  placed  his 
overcoat  on  a  chair  —  Holmes  laid  out  two  drills,  a  jemmy, 
and  several  skeleton  keys.  I  stood  at  the  centre  door  with  my 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON        201 

eyes  glancing  at  each  of  the  others,  ready  for  any  emergency, 
though,  indeed,  my  plans  were  somewhat  vague  as  to  what  I 
should  do  if  we  were  interrupted.  For  half  an  hour,  Holmes 
worked  with  concentrated  energy,  laying  down  one  tool,  picking 
up  another,  handling  each  with  the  strength  and  delicacy  of  the 
trained  mechanic.  Finally  I  heard  a  click,  the  broad  green 
door  swung  open,  and  inside  I  had  a  glimpse  of  a  number  of 
paper  packets,  each  tied,  sealed,  and  inscribed.  Holmes  picked 
one  out,  but  it  was  hard  to  read  by  the  flickering  fire,  and  he 
drew  out  his  little  dark  lantern,  for  it  was  too  dangerous,  with 
Milverton  in  the  next  room,  to  switch  on  the  electric  light. 
Suddenly  I  saw  him  halt,  listen  intently,  and  then  in  an  instant 
he  had  swung  the  door  of  the  safe  to,  picked  up  his  coat,  stuffed 
his  tools  into  the  pockets,  and  darted  behind  the  window 
curtain,  motioning  me  to  do  the  same. 

It  was  only  when  I  had  joined  him  there  that  I  heard  what 
had  alarmed  his  quicker  senses.  There  was  a  noise  some- 
where within  the  house.  A  door  slammed  in  the  distance. 
Then  a  confused,  dull  murmur  broke  itself  into  the  measured 
thud  of  heavy  footsteps  rapidly  approaching.  They  were'  in 
the  passage  outside  the  room.  They  paused  at  the  door.  The 
door  opened.  There  was  a  sharp  snick  as  the  electric  light 
was  turned  on.  The  door  closed  once  more,  and  the  pungent 
reek  of  a  strong  cigar  was  borne  to  our  nostrils.  Then  the  foot- 
steps continued  backwards  and  forwards,  backwards  and  for- 
wards, within  a  few  yards  of  us.  Finally  there  was  a  creak 
from  a  chair,  and  the  footsteps  ceased.  Then  a  key  clicked 
in  a  lock,  and  I  heard  the  rustle  of  papers. 

So  far  I  had  not  dared  to  look  out,  but  now  I  gently  parted 
the  division  of  the  curtains  in  front  of  me  and  peeped  through. 
From  the  pressure  of  Holmes'  shoulder  against  mine,  I  knew 


202       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

that  he  was  sharing  my  observations.  Right  in  front  of 
us,  and  almost  within  our  reach,  was  the  broad,  rounded 
back  of  Milverton.  It  was  evident  that  we  had  entirely 
miscalculated  his  movements,  that  he  had  never  been  to 
his  bedroom,  but  that  he  had  been  sitting  up  in  some 
smoking  or  billiard  room  in  the  farther  wing  of  the  house, 
the  windows  of  which  we  had  not  seen.  His  broad,  grizzled 
head,  with  its  shining  patch  of  baldness,  was  in  the  immedi- 
ate foreground  of  our  vision.  He  was  leaning  far  back  in 
the  red  leather  chair,  his  legs  outstretched,  a  long,  black 
cigar  projecting  at  an  angle  from  his  mouth.  He  wore  a 
semi-military  smoking  jacket,  claret-coloured,  with  a  black 
velvet  collar.  In  his  hand  he  held  a  long,  legal  document 
which  he  was  reading  in  an  indolent  fashion,  blowing  rings  of 
tobacco  smoke  from  his  lips  as  he  did  so.  There  was  no 
promise  of  a  speedy  departure  in  his  composed  bearing  and 
his  comfortable  attitude. 

I  felt  Holmes'  hand  steal  into  mine  and  give  me  a  reassuring 
shake,  as  if  to  say  that  the  situation  was  within  his  powers,  and 
that  he  was  easy  in  his  mind.  I  was  not  sure  whether  he  had 
seen  what  was  only  too  obvious  from  my  position,  that  the  door 
of  the  safe  was  imperfectly  closed,  and  that  Milverton  might  at 
any  moment  observe  it.  In  my  own  mind  I  had  determined 
that  if  I  were  sure,  from  the  rigidity  of  his  gaze,  that  it  had 
caught  his  eye,  I  would  at  once  spring  out,  throw  my  great  coat 
over  his  head,  pinion  him,  and  leave  the  rest  to  Holmes.  But 
Milverton  never  looked  up.  He  was  languidly  interested  by 
the  papers  in  his  hand,  and  page  after  page  was  turned  as  he 
followed  the  argument  of  the  lawyer.  At  least,  I  thought,  when 
he  had  finished  the  document  and  the  cigar  he  will  go  to  his 
room,  but  before  he  had  reached  the  end  of  either,  there  came  a 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  203 

remarkable  development,  which  turned  our  thoughts  into  quite 
another  channel. 

Several  times  I  had  observed  that  Milverton  looked  at  his 
watch,  and  once  he  had  risen  and  sat  down  again,  with  a  ges- 
ture of  impatience.  The  idea,  however,  that  he  might  have  an 
appointment  at  so  strange  an  hour  never  occurred  to  me  until 
a  faint  sound  reached  my  ears  from  the  veranda  outside.  Mil- 
verton dropped  his  papers  and  sat  rigid  in  his  chair.  The 
sound  was  repeated,  and  then  there  came  a  gentle  tap  at  the 
door.  Milverton  rose  and  opened  it. 

"  Well, "  said  he,  curtly,  "  you  are  nearly  half  an  hour  late. " 

So  this  was  the  explanation  of  the  unlocked  door  and  of  the 
nocturnal  vigil  of  Milverton.  There  was  the  gentle  rustle  of  a 
woman's  dress.  I  had  closed  the  slit  between  the  curtains  as 
Milverton's  face  had  turned  in  our  direction,  but  now  I  ventured 
very  carefully  to  open  it  once  more.  He  had  resumed  his  seat, 
the  cigar  still  projecting  at  an  insolent  angle  from  the  corner  of 
his  mouth.  In  front  of  him,  in  the  full  glare  of  the  electric 
light,  there  stood  a  tall,  slim,  dark  woman,  a  veil  over  her  face, 
a  mantle  drawn  round  her  chin.  Her  breath  came  quick  and 
fast,  and  every  inch  of  the  lithe  figure  was  quivering  with  strong 
emotion. 

"  Well, "  said  Milverton,  "  you've  made  me  lose  a  good  night's 
rest,  my  dear.  I  hope  you'll  prove  worth  it.  You  couldn't 
come  any  other  time — eh  ?  " 

The  woman  shook  her  head. 

"Well,  if  you  couldn't  you  couldn't.  If  the  Countess  is  a 
hard  mistress,  you  have  your  chance  to  get  level  with  her  now. 
Bless  the  girl,  what  are  you  shivering  about?  That's  right. 
Pull  yourself  together.  Now,  let  us  get  down  to  business.  "  He 
took  a  note-book  from  the  drawer  of  his  desk.  "  You  say  that 


204       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

you  have  five  letters  which  compromise  the  Countess  d'Albert. 
You  want  to  sell  them.  I  want  to  buy  them.  So  far  so  good. 
It  only  remains  to  fix  a  price.  I  should  want  to  inspect  the 
letters,  of  course.  If  they  are  really  good  specimens  —  Great 
Heavens,  is  it  you  ?  " 

The  woman,  without  a  word,  had  raised  her  veil  and  dropped 
the  mantle  from  her  chin.  It  was  a  dark,  handsome,  clear-cut 
face  which  confronted  Milverton  —  a  face  with  a  curved  nose, 
strong,  dark  eyebrows  shading  hard,  glittering  eyes,  and  a 
straight,  thin-lipped  mouth  set  in  a  dangerous  smile. 

"  It  is  I, "  she  said,  "  the  woman  whose  life  you  have  ruined." 

Milverton  laughed,  but  fear  vibrated  in  his  voice.  "  You  were 
so  very  obstinate, "  said  he.  "  Why  did  you  drive  me  to  such 
extremities  ?  I  assure  you  I  wouldn't  hurt  a  fly  of  my  own 
accord,  but  every  man  has  his  business,  and  what  was  I  to  do  ? 
I  put  the  price  well  within  your  means.  You  would  not  pay. " 

"  So  you  sent  the  letters  to  my  husband,  and  he  —  the  noblest 
gentleman  that  ever  lived,  a  man  whose  boots  I  was  never 
worthy  to  lace  —  he  broke  his  gallant  heart  and  died.  You 
remember  that  last  night,  when  I  came  through  that  door,  I 
begged  and  prayed  you  for  mercy,  and  you  laughed  in  my 
face  as  you  are  trying  to  laugh  now,  only  your  coward  heart 
cannot  keep  your  lips  from  twitching  ?  Yes,  you  never  thought 
to  see  me  here  again,  but  it  was  that  night  which  taught  me 
how  I  could  meet  you  face  to  face,  and  alone.  Well,  Charles 
Milverton,  what  have  you  to  sa^  ?  " 

"  Don't  imagine  that  you  can  bully  me, "  said  he,  rising  to  his 
feet.  "  I  have  only  to  raise  my  voice,  and  I  could  call  my  serv- 
ants and  have  you  arrested.  But  I  will  make  allowance  for 
your  natural  anger.  Leave  the  room  at  once  as  you  came,  and 
I  will  say  no  more. " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  205 

The  woman  stood  with  her  hand  buried  in  her  bosom,  and  the 
same  deadly  smile  on  her  thin  lips. 

"  You  will  ruin  no  more  lives  as  you  have  ruined  mine.  You 
will  wring  no  more  hearts  as  you  wrung  mine.  I  will  free  the 
world  of  a  poisonous  thing.  Take  that,  you  hound  —  and  that ! 
—  and  that !  —  and  that !  —  and  that ! " 

She  had  drawn  a  little  gleaming  revolver,  and  emptied  barrel 
after  barrel  into  Milverton's  body,  the  muzzle  within  two  feet  of 
his  shirt  front.  He  shrank  away  and  then  fell  forward  upon  the 
table,  coughing  furiously  and  clawing  among  the  papers.  Then 
he  staggered  to  his  feet,  received  another  shot,  and  rolled 
upon  the  floor.  "  You've  done  me,"  he  cried,  and  lay  still.  The 
woman  looked  at  him  intently,  and  ground  her  heel  into  his 
upturned  face.  She  looked  again,  but  there  was  no  sound 
or  movement.  I  heard  a  sharp  rustle,  the  night  air  blew  into 
the  heated  room,  and  the  avenger  was  gone. 

No  interference  upon  our  part  could  have  saved  the  man  from 
his  fate,  but,  as  the  woman  poured  bullet  after  bullet  into  Mil- 
verton's shrinking  body  I  was  about  to  spring  out,  when  I 
felt  Holmes'  cold,  strong  grasp  upon  my  wrist.  I  understood 
the  whole  argument  of  that  firm,  restraining  grip  —  that  it 
was  no  affair  of  ours,  that  justice  had  overtaken  a  villain,  that 
we  had  our  own  duties  and  our  own  objects,  which  were  not  to 
be  lost  sight  of.  But  hardly  had  the  woman  rushed  from  the 
room  when  Holmes,  with  swift,  silent  steps,  was  over  at  the 
other  door.  He  turned  the  key  in  the  lock.  At  the  same 
instant  we  heard  voices  in  the  house  and  the  sound  of  hurrying 
feet.  The  revolver  shots  had  roused  the  household.  With 
perfect  coolness  Holmes  slipped  across  to  the  safe,  filled  his 
two  arms  with  bundles  of  letters,  and  poured  them  all  into  the 
fire.  Again  and  again  he  did  it,  until  the  safe  was  empty. 


206  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Someone  turned  the  handle,  and  beat  upon  the  outside  of  the 
door.  Holmes  looked  swiftly  round.  The  letter  which  had 
been  the  messenger  of  death  for  Milverton  lay,  all  mottled 
with  his  blood,  upon  the  table.  Holmes  tossed  it  in  among 
the  blazing  papers.  Then  he  drew  the  key  from  the  outer  door, 
passed  through  after  me,  and  locked  it  on  the  outside.  "  This 
way,  Watson, "  said  he,  "  we  can  scale  the  garden  wall  in  this 
direction. " 

I  could  not  have  believed  that  an  alarm  could  have  spread  so 
swiftly.  Looking  back,  the  huge  house  was  one  blaze  of  light. 
The  front  door  was  open,  and  figures  were  rushing  down  the 
drive.  The  whole  garden  was  alive  with  people,  and  one  fel- 
low raised  a  view-halloa  as  we  emerged  from  the  veranda  and  fol- 
lowed hard  at  our  heels.  Holmes  seemed  to  know  the  grounds 
perfectly,  and  he  threaded  his  way  swiftly  among  a  plantation 
of  small  trees,  I  close  at  his  heels,  and  our  foremost  pursuer 
panting  behind  us.  It  was  a  six-foot  wall  which  barred  our 
path,  but  he  sprang  to  the  top  and  over.  As  I  did  the  same  I 
felt  the  hand  of  the  man  behind  me  grab  at  my  ankle,  but  I 
kicked  myself  free  and  scrambled  over  a  grass-strewn  coping. 
I  fell  upon  my  face  among  some  bushes,  but  Holmes  had  me 
on  my  feet  in  an  instant,  and  together  we  dashed  away  across 
the  huge  expanse  of  Hampstead  Heath.  We  had  run  two  miles, 
1  suppose,  before  Holmes  at  last  halted  and  listened  intently. 
All  was  absolute  silence  behind  us.  We  had  shaken  off  our 
pursuers  and  were  safe. 

We  had  breakfasted  and  were  smoking  our  morning  pipe  on 
the  day  after  the  remarkable  experience  which  I  have  recorded, 
when  Mr.  Lestrade,  of  Scotland  Yard,  very  solemn  and  im- 
pressive, was  ushered  into  our  modest  sitting-room. 


HE  FELL  FORWARD  UPON  T  H  F.  TABLK,  COT  (ill  INC  FURIOUSLY 
AND  CLAW  INC  AMONG  THE  PAPERS 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  MILVERTON  207 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Holmes,"  said  he;  "good  morning. 
May  I  ask  if  you  are  very  busy  just  now  ?  " 

"  Not  too  busy  to  listen  to  you. " 

"  I  thought  that,  perhaps,  if  you  had  nothing  particular  on 
hand,  you  might  care  to  assist  us  in  a  most  remarkable  case, 
which  occurred  only  last  night  at  Hampstead. " 

"Dear  me!"  said  Holmes.     "  What  was  that ?" 

"  A  murder  —  a  most  dramatic  and  remarkable  murder.  I 
know  how  keen  you  are  upon  these  things,  and  I  would  take  it 
as  a  great  favour  if  you  would  step  down  to  Appledore  Towers, 
and  give  us  the  benefit  of  your  advice.  It  is  no  ordinary  crime. 
We  have  had  our  eyes  upon  this  Mr.  Milverton  for  some  time, 
and,  between  ourselves,  he  was  a  bit  of  a  villain.  He  is  known 
to  have  held  papers  which  he  used  for  blackmailing  purposes. 
These  papers  have  all  been  burned  by  the  murderers.  No  ar- 
ticle of  value  was  taken,  as  it  is  probable  that  the  criminals  were 
men  of  good  position,  whose  sole  object  was  to  prevent  social 
exposure. " 

"Criminals?"  said  Holmes.     "Plural?" 

"Yes,  there  were  two  of  them.  They  were  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible captured  red-handed.  We  have  their  footmarks,  we 
have  their  description,  it's  ten  to  one  that  we  trace  them.  The 
first  fellow  was  a  bit  too  active,  but  the  second  was  caught  by 
the  under-gardner,  and  only  got  away  after  a  struggle.  He 
was  a  middle-sized,  strongly  built  man  —  square  jaw,  thick 
neck,  moustache,  a  mask  over  his  eyes.  " 

"  That's  rather  vague, "  said  Sherlock  Holmes.  "  Why,  it 
might  be  a  description  of  Watson!  " 

"  It's  true, "  said  the  inspector,  with  amusement.  "  It  might 
be  a  description  of  Watson. " 

"Well,  I'm  afraid  I  can't  help  you,  Lestrade, "  said  Holmes. 


208  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  The  fact  is  that  I  knew  this  fellow  Milverton,  that  I  considered 
him  one  of  the  most  dangerous  men  in  London,  and  that  I 
think  there  are  certain  crimes  which  the  law  cannot  touch,  and 
which  therefore,  to  some  extent,  justify  private  revenge.  No, 
it's  no  use  arguing.  I  have  made  up  my  mind.  My  sympa- 
thies are  with  the  criminals  rather  than  with  the  victim,  and  I 
will  not  handle  this  case. " 

Holmes  had  not  said  one  word  to  me  about  the  tragedy  which 
we  had  witnessed,  but  I  observed  all  the  morning  that  he  was  in 
his  most  thoughtful  mood,  and  he  gave  me  the  impression,  from 
his  vacant  eyes  and  his  abstracted  manner,  of  a  man  who  is 
striving  to  recall  something  to  his  memory.  We  were  in  the 
middle  of  our  lunch,  when  he  suddenly  sprang  to  his  feet.  "  By 
Jove,  Watson,  I've  got  it!"  he  cried.  " Take  your  hat !  Come 
with  me ! "  He  hurried  at  his  top  speed  down  Baker  Street  and 
along  Oxford  Street,  until  we  had  almost  reached  Regent  Cir- 
cus. Here,  on  the  left  hand,  there  stands  a  shop  window  filled 
with  photographs  of  the  celebrities  and  beauties  of  the  day. 
Holmes'  eyes  fixed  themselves  upon  one  of  them,  and  follow- 
ing his  gaze  I  saw  the  picture  of  a  regal  and  stately  lady  in  Court 
dress,  with  a  high  diamond  tiara  upon  her  noble  head.  I 
looked  at  that  delicately  curved  nose,  at  the  marked  eyebrows, 
at  the  straight  mouth,  and  the  strong  little  chin  beneath  it. 
Then  I  caught  my  breath  as  I  read  the  time-honoured  title  of 
the  great  nobleman  and  statesman  whose  wife  she  had  been. 
My  eyes  met  those  of  Holmes,  and  he  put  his  finger  to  his 
lips  as  we  turned  away  from  the  window. 


VIII 

THE  ADVENTURE   OF 
THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS 

IT  was  no  very  unusual  thing  for  Mr.  Lestrade,  of  Scotland 
Yard,  to  look  in  upon  us  of  an  evening,  and  his  visits  were 
welcome  to  Sherlock  Holmes,  for  they  enabled  him  to  keep  in 
touch  with  all  that  was  going  on  at  the  police  headquarters. 
In  return  for  the  news  which  Lestrade  would  bring,  Holmes 
was  always  ready  to  listen  with  attention  to  the  details  of  any 
case  upon  which  the  detective  was  engaged,  and  was  able  occa- 
sionally, without  any  active  interference,  to  give  some  hint  or 
suggestion  drawn  from  his  own  vast  knowledge  and  experience. 

On  this  particular  evening,  Lestrade  had  spoken  of  the 
weather  and  the  newspapers.  Then  he  had  fallen  silent,  puf- 
fing thoughtfully  at  his  cigar.  Holmes  looked  keenly  at  him. 

"  Anything  remarkable  on  hand  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Oh,  no,  Mr.  Holmes  —  nothing  very  particular." 

"  Then  tell  me  about  it." 

Lestrade  laughed. 

"Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  there  is  no  use  denying  that  there  is 
something  on  my  mind.  And  yet  it  is  such  an  absurd  business, 
that  I  hesitated  to  bother  you  about  it.  On  the  other  hand, 
although  it  is  trivial,  it  is  undoubtedly  queer,  and  I  know  that 


210       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

you  have  a  taste  for  all  that  is  out  of  the  common.  But,  in  my 
opinion,  it  comes  more  in  Dr.  Watson's  line  than  ours." 

"  Disease  ? "  said  I. 

"Madness,  anyhow.  And  a  queer  madness,  too.  You 
wouldn't  think  there  was  anyone  living  at  this  time  of  day  who 
had  such  a  hatred  of  Napoleon  the  First  that  he  would  break 
any  image  of  him  that  he  could  see." 

Holmes  sank  back  in  his  chair. 

"  That's  no  business  of  mine,"  said  he. 

"Exactly.  That's  what  I  said.  But  then,  when  the  man 
commits  burglary  in  order  to  break  images  which  are  not  his 
own,  that  brings  it  away  from  the  doctor  and  on  to  the  police- 
man." 

Holmes  sat  up  again. 

"Burglary!  This  is  more  interesting.  Let  me  hear  the 
details." 

Lestrade  took  out  his  official  note-book,  and  refreshed  his 
memory  from  its  pages. 

"The  first  case  reported  was  four  days  ago,"  said  he.  "It 
was  at  the  shop  of  Morse  Hudson,  who  has  a  place  for  the  sale 
of  pictures  and  statues  in  the  Kennington  Road.  The  assistant 
had  left  the  front  shop  for  an  instant,  when  he  heard  a  crash, 
and  hurrying  in  he  found  a  plaster  bust  of  Napoleon,  which 
stood  with  several  other  works  of  art  upon  the  counter,  lying 
shivered  into  fragments.  He  rushed  out  into  the  road,  but, 
although  several  passers-by  declared  that  they  had  noticed 
a  man  run  out  of  the  shop,  he  could  neither  see  anyone  nor 
could  he  find  any  means  of  identifying  the  rascal.  It  seemed  to 
be  one  of  those  senseless  acts  of  Hooliganism  which  occur  from 
time  to  time,  and  it  was  reported  to  the  constable  on  the  beat 
as  such.  The  plaster  cast  was  not  worth  more  than  a  few  shil- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  211 

lings,  and  the  whole  affair  appeared  to  be  too  childish  for  any 
particular  investigation. 

"The  second  case,  however,  was  more  serious,  and  also  more 
singular.  It  occurred  only  last  night. 

"  In  Kennington  Road,  and  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of 
Morse  Hudson's  shop,  there  lives  a  well-known  medical  prac- 
titioner, named  Dr.  Barnicot,  who  has  one  of  the  largest  prac- 
tices upon  the  south  side  of  the  Thames.  His  residence  and 
principal  consulting-room  is  at  Kennington  Road,  but  he  has 
a  branch  surgery  and  dispensary  at  Lower  Brixton  Road,  two 
miles  away.  This  Dr.  Barnicot  is  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of 
Napoleon,  and  his  house  is  full  of  books,  pictures,  and  relics 
of  the  French  Emperor.  Some  little  time  ago  he  purchased 
from  Morse  Hudson  two  duplicate  plaster  casts  of  the  famous 
head  of  Napoleon  by  the  French  sculptor,  Devine.  One  of 
these  he  placed  in  his  hall  in  the  house  at  Kennington  Road, 
and  the  other  on  the  mantelpiece  of  the  surgery  at  Lower  Brix- 
ton. Well,  when  Dr.  Barnicot  came  down  this  morning  he 
was  astonished  to  find  that  his  house  had  been  burgled  during 
the  night,  but  that  nothing  had  been  taken  save  the  plaster 
head  from  the  hall.  It  had  been  carried  out  and  had  been 
dashed  savagely  against  the  garden  wall,  under  which  its 
splintered  fragments  were  discovered." 

Holmes  rubbed  his  hands. 

"  This  is  certainly  very  novel,"  said  he. 

"  I  thought  it  would  please  you.  But  I  have  not  got  to  the 
end  yet.  Dr.  Barnicot  was  due  at  his  surgery  at  twelve  o'clock, 
and  you  can  imagine  his  amazement  when,  on  arriving  there, 
he  found  that  the  window  had  been  opened  in  the  night,  and 
that  the  broken  pieces  of  his  second  bust  were  strewn  all  over 
the  room.  It  had  been  smashed  to  atoms  where  it  stood.  In 


212       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

neither  case  were  there  any  signs  which  could  give  us  a  clue  as 
to  the  criminal  or  lunatic  who  had  done  the  mischief.  Now, 
Mr.  Holmes,  you  have  got  the  facts." 

"They  are  singular,  not  to  say  grotesque,"  said  Holmes. 
"  May  I  ask  whether  the  two  busts  smashed  in  Dr.  Barnicot's 
rooms  were  the  exact  duplicates  of  the  one  which  was  destroyed 
in  Morse  Hudson's  shop  ?  " 

"  They  were  taken  from  the  same  mould." 

"  Such  a  fact  must  tell  against  the  theory  that  the  man  who 
breaks  them  is  influenced  by  any  general  hatred  of  Napoleon. 
Considering  how  many  hundreds  of  statues  of  the  great  Em- 
peror must  exist  in  London,  it  is  too  much  to  suppose  such  a 
coincidence  as  that  a  promiscuous  iconoclast  should  chance 
to  begin  upon  three  specimens  of  the  same  bust." 

"  Well,  I  thought  as  you  do,"  said  Lestrade.  "  On  the  other 
hand,  this  Morse  Hudson  is  the  purveyor  of  busts  in  that  part 
of  London,  and  these  three  were  the  only  ones  which  had  been 
in  his  shop  for  years.  So,  although,  as  you  say,  there  are  many 
hundreds  of  statues  in  London,  it  is  very  probable  that  these 
three  were  the  only  ones  in  that  district.  Therefore,  a  local 
fanatic  would  begin  with  them.  What  do  you  think,  Dr. 
Watson?" 

"There  are  no  limits  to  the  possibilities  of  monomania,"  I 
answered.  "  There  is  the  condition  which  the  modern  French 
psychologists  have  called  the  '  idee  fixe,'  which  may  be  trifling 
in  character,  and  accompanied  by  complete  sanity  in  every 
other  way.  A  man  who  had  read  deeply  about  Napoleon,  or 
who  had  possibly  received  some  hereditary  family  injury 
through  the  great  war,  might  conceivably  form  such  an  '  idee 
fixe'  and  under  its  influence  be  capable  of  any  fantastic  out- 
rage." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  213 

"That  won't  do,  my  dear  Watson,"  said  Holmes,  shaking 
his  head,  "  for  no  amount  of  '  idee  fixe '  would  enable  your  in- 
teresting monomaniac  to  find  out  where  these  busts  were  situ- 
ated." 

"  Well,  how  do  you  explain  it  ?  " 

"  I  don't  attempt  to  do  so.  I  would  only  observe  that  there 
is  a  certain  method  in  the  gentleman's  eccentric  proceedings. 
For  example,  in  Dr.  Barnicot's  hall,  where  a  sound  might 
arouse  the  family,  the  bust  was  taken  outside  before  being 
broken,  whereas  in  the  surgery,  where  there  was  less  danger 
of  an  alarm,  it  was  smashed  where  it  stood.  The  affair  seems 
absurdly  trifling,  and  yet  I  dare  call  nothing  trivial  when  I 
reflect  that  some  of  my  most  classic  cases  have  had  the  least 
promising  commencement.  You  will  remember,  Watson,  how 
the  dreadful  business  of  the  Abernetty  family  was  first  brought 
to  my  notice  by  the  depth  which  the  parsley  had  sunk  into  the 
butter  upon  a  hot  day.  I  can't  afford,  therefore,  to  smile  at 
your  three  broken  busts,  Lestrade,  and  I  shall  be  very  much 
obliged  to  you  if  you  will  let  me  hear  of  any  fresh  develop- 
ment of  so  singular  a  chain  of  events."  • 

The  development  for  which  my  friend  had  asked  came  in  a 
quicker  and  an  infinitely  more  tragic  form  than  he  could  have 
imagined.  I  was  still  dressing  in  my  bedroom  next  morning, 
when  there  was  a  tap  at  the  door  and  Holmes  entered,  a  tele- 
gram in  his  hand.  He  read  it  aloud :  — 

"  Come  instantly,  131,  Pitt  Street,  Kensington.  —  Lestrade." 

"  What  is  it,  then  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Don't  know  —  rnay  be  anything.  But  I  suspect  it  is  the 
sequel  of  the  story  of  the  statues.  In  that  case  our  friend,  the 
image-breaker,  has  begun  operations  in  another  quarter  of 


214  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

London.  There's  coffee  on  the  table,  Watson,  and  I  have  a 
cab  at  the  door." 

In  half  an  hour  we  had  reached  Pitt  Street,  a  quiet  little 
backwater  just  beside  one  of  the  briskest  currents  of  London 
life.  No.  131  was  one  of  a  row,  all  flat-chested,  respectable, 
and  most  unromantic  dwellings.  As  we  drove  up,  we  found  the 
railings  in  front  of  the  house  lined  by  a  curious  crowd.  Holmes 
whistled. 

"By  George!  it's  attempted  murder  at  the  least.  Nothing 
less  will  hold  the  London  message-boy.  There's  a  deed  of 
violence  indicated  in  that  fellow's  round  shoulders  and  out- 
stretched neck.  What's  this,  Watson  ?  The  top  steps  swilled 
down  and  the  other  ones  dry.  Footsteps  enough,  anyhow! 
Well,  well,  there's  Lestrade  at  the  front  window,  and  we  shall 
soon  know  all  about  it." 

The  official  received  us  with  a  very  grave  face  and  showed 
us  into  a  sitting-room,  where  an  exceedingly  unkempt  and 
agitated  elderly  man,  clad  in  a  flannel  dressing-gown,  was 
pacing  up  and  down.  He  was  introduced  to  us  as  the  owner  of 
the  house  —  Mr.  Horace  Harker,  of  the  Central  Press  Syndi- 
cate. 

"It's  the  Napoleon  bust  business  again,"  said  Lestrade. 
"You  seemed  interested  last  night,  Mr.  Holmes,  so  I  thought 
perhaps  you  would  be  glad  to  be  present  now  that  the  affair 
has  taken  a  very  much  graver  turn." 

"  What  has  it  turned  to,  then  ?  " 

"To  murder.  Mr.  Harker,  will  you  tell  these  gentlemen 
exactly  what  has  occurred  ?  " 

The  man  in  the  dressing-gown  turned  upon  us  with  a  most 
melancholy  face. 

"It's  an  extraordinary  thing,"  said  he,  "that  all  my  life  I 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  215 

have  been  collecting  other  people's  news,  and  now  that  a  real 
piece  of  news  has  come  my  own  way  I  am  so  confused  and 
bothered  that  I  can't  put  two  words  together.  If  I  had  come 
in  here  as  a  journalist,  I  should  have  interviewed  myself  and 
had  two  columns  in  every  evening  paper.  As  it  is,  I  am  giving 
away  valuable  copy  by  telling  my  story  over  and  over  to  a 
string  of  different  people,  and  I  can  make  no  use  of  it  myself. 
However,  I've  heard  your  name,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  and 
if  you'll  only  explain  this  queer  business,  I  shall  be  paid  for  my 
trouble  in  telling  you  the  story." 

Holmes  sat  down  and  listened. 

"It  all  seems  to  centre  round  that  bust  of  Napoleon  which 
I  bought  for.  this  very  room  about  four  months  ago.  I  picked 
it  up  cheap  from  Harding  Brothers  two  doors  from  the  High 
Street  Station.  A  great  deal  of  my  journalistic  work  is  done 
at  night,  and  I  often  write  until  the  early  morning.  So  it  was 
to-day.  I  was  sitting  in  my  den,  which  is  at  the  back  of  the 
top  of  the  house,  about  three  o'clock,  when  I  was  convinced 
that  I  heard  some  sounds  downstairs.  I  listened,  but  they 
were  not  repeated,  and  I  concluded  that  they  came  from 
outside.  Then  suddenly,  about  five  minutes  later,  there  came 
a  most  horrible  yell  —  the  most  dreadful  sound,  Mr.  Holmes, 
that  ever  I  heard.  It  will  ring  in  my  ears  as  long  as  I  live.  I 
sat  frozen  with  horror  for  a  minute  or  two.  Then  I  seized  the 
poker  and  went  downstairs.  When  I  entered  this  room  I  found 
the  window  wide  open,  and  I  at  once  observed  that  the  bust 
was  gone  from  the  mantelpiece.  Why  any  burglar  should  take 
such  a  thing  passes  my  understanding,  for  it  was  only  a 
plaster  cast,  and  of  no  real  value  whatever. 

"You  can  see  for  yourself  that  anyone  going  out  through 
that  open  window  could  reach  the  front  doorstep  by  taking  a 


216  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

long  stride.  This  was  clearly  what  the  burglar  had  done,  so  I 
went  round  and  opened  the  door.  Stepping  out  into  the  dark, 
I  nearly  fell  over  a  dead  man,  who  was  lying  there.  I  ran  back 
for  a  light,  and  there  was  the  poor  fellow,  a  great  gash  in  his 
throat  and  the  whole  place  swimming  in  blood.  He  lay  on  his 
back,  his  knees  drawn  up,  and  his  mouth  horribly  open.  I 
shall  see  him  in  my  dreams.  I  had  just  time  to  blow  on  my 
police- whistle,  and  then  I  must  have  fainted,  for  I  knew  noth- 
ing more  until  I  found  the  policeman  standing  over  me  in  the 
hall." 

"  Well,  who  was  the  murdered  man  ?  "  asked  Holmes. 

"  There's  nothing  to  show  who  he  was,"  said  Lestrade.  "  You 
shall  see  the  body  at  the  mortuary,  but  we  have  made  nothing 
of  it  up  to  now.  He  is  a  tall  man,  sunburned,  very  powerful, 
not  more  than  thirty.  He  is  poorly  dressed,  and  yet  does  not 
appear  to  be  a  labourer.  A  horn-handled  clasp  knife  was  lying 
in  a  pool  of  blood  beside  him.  Whether  it  was  the  weapon 
which  did  the  deed,  or  whether  it  belonged  to  the  dead  man, 
I  do  not  know.  There  was  no  name  on  his  clothing,  and  noth- 
ing in  his  pockets  save  an  apple,  some  string,  a  shilling  map  of 
London,  and  a  photograph.  Here  it  is." 

It  was  evidently  taken  by  a  snap-shot  from  a  small  camera. 
It  represented  an  alert,  sharp-featured  simian  man,  with  thick 
eyebrows  and  a  very  peculiar  projection  of  the  lower  part  of 
the  face,  like  the  muzzle  of  a  baboon. 

"  And  what  became  of  the  bust  ?  "  asked  Holmes,  after  a  care- 
ful study  of  this  picture. 

"We  had  news  of  it  just  before  you  came.  It  has  been 
found  in  the  front  garden  of  an  empty  house  in  Campden 
House  Road.  It  was  broken  into  fragments.  I  am  going 
round  now  to  see  it.  Will  you  come  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  217 

"Certainly.  I  must  just  take  one  look  round."  He  examined 
the  carpet  and  the  window.  "  The  fellow  had  either  very  long 
legs  or  was  a  most  active  man,"  said  he.  "  With  an  area  be- 
neath, it  was  no  mean  feat  to  reach  that  window-ledge  and  open 
that  window.  Getting  back  was  comparatively  simple.  Are 
you  coming  with  us  to  see  the  remains  of  your  bust,  Mr.  Har- 
ker?" 

The  disconsolate  journalist  had  seated  himself  at  a  writing- 
table. 

"  I  must  try  and  make  something  of  it,"  said  he,  "  though 
I  have  no  doubt  that  the  first  editions  of  the  evening  papers  are 
out  already  with  full  details.  It's  like  my  luck !  You  remem- 
ber when  the  stand  fell  at  Doncaster?  Well,  I  was  the  only 
journalist  in  the  stand,  and  my  journal  the  only  one  that  had  no 
account  of  it,  for  I  was  too  shaken  to  write  it.  And  now  I'll 
be  too  late  with  a  murder  done  on  my  own  doorstep." 

As  we  left  the  room,  we  heard  his  pen  travelling  shrilly  over 
the  foolscap. 

The  spot  where  the  fragments  of  the  bust  had  been  found 
was  only  a  few  hundred  yards  away.  For  the  first  time  our  eyes 
rested  upon  this  presentment  of  the  great  Emperor,  which 
seemed  to  raise  such  frantic  and  destructive  hatred  in  the  mind 
of  the  unknown.  It  lay  scattered,  in  splintered  shards,  upon 
the  grass.  Holmes  picked  up  several  of  them  and  examined 
them  carefully.  I  was  convinced,  from  his  intent  face  and  his 
purposeful  manner,  that  at  last  he  was  upon  a  clue. 

"  Well  ?  "  asked  Lestrade. 

Holmes  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  We  have  a  long  way  to  go  yet,"  said  he.  "  And  yet  —  and 
yet  —  well,  we  have  some  suggestive  facts  to  act  upon.  The 
possession  of  this  trifling  bust  was  worth  mor«,  in  the  eyes  of 


218       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

this  strange  criminal,  than  a  human  life.  That  is  one  point. 
Then  there  is  the  singular  fact  that  he  did  not  break  it  in  the 
house,  or  immediately  outside  the  house,  if  to  break  it  was  his 
sole  object." 

"He  was  rattled  and  bustled  by  meeting  this  other  fellow. 
He  hardly  knew  what  he  was  doing." 

"Well,  that's  likely  enough.  But  I  wish  to  call  your  atten- 
tion very  particularly  to  the  position  of  this  house  in  the  garden 
of  which  the  bust  was  destroyed." 

Lestrade  looked  about  him. 

"  It  was  an  emply  house,  and  so  he  knew  that  he  would  not 
be  disturbed  in  the  garden." 

"  Yes,  but  there  is  another  empty  house  farther  up  the  street 
which  he  must  have  passed  before  he  came  to  this  one.  Why 
did  he  not  break  it  there,  since  it  is  evident  that  every  yard 
that  he  carried  it  increased  the  risk  of  someone  meeting  him  ?  " 

"  I  give  it  up,"  said  Lestrade. 

Holmes  pointed  to  the  street  lamp  above  our  heads. 

"  He  could  see  what  he  was  doing  here,  and  he  could  not 
there.  That  was  his  reason." 

"By  Jove!  that's  true,"  said  the  detective.  "Now  that  I 
come  to  think  of  it,  Dr.  Barnicot's  bust  was  broken  not  far 
from  his  red  lamp.  Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  what  are  we  to  do  with 
that  fact?" 

"  To  remember  it  —  to  docket  it.  We  may  come  on  some- 
thing later  which  will  bear  upon  it.  What  steps  do  you  pro- 
pose to  take  now,  Lestrade  ?  " 

"The  most  practical  way  of  getting  at  it,  in  my  opinion,  is 
to  identify  the  dead  man.  There  should  be  no  difficulty  about 
that.  When  we  have  found  who  he  is  and  who  his  associates 
are,  we  should  have  a  good  start  in  learning  what  he  was  doing 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  219 

in  Pitt  Street  last  night,  and  who  it  was  who  met  him  and  killed 
him  on  the  doorstep  of  Mr.  Horace  Harker.  Don't  you  think 
so?" 

"  No  doubt;  and  yet  it  is  not  quite  the  way  in  which  I  should 
approach  the  case." 

"  What  would  you  do  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  must  not  let  me  influence  you  in  any  way.  I  sug- 
gest that  you  go  on  your  line  and  I  on  mine.  We  can  compare 
notes  afterwards,  and  each  will  supplement  the  other." 

"  Very  good,"  said  Lestrade. 

"If  you  are  going  back  to  Pitt  Street,  you  might  see  Mr. 
Horace  Harker.  Tell  him  from  me  that  I  have  quite  made  up 
my  mind,  and  that  it  is  certain  that  a  dangerous  homicidal 
lunatic,  with  Napoleonic  delusions,  was  in  his  house  last  night. 
It  will  be  useful  for  his  article." 

Lestrade  stared. 

"  You  don't  seriously  believe  that  ?  " 

Holmes  smiled. 

"Don't  I?  Well,  perhaps  I  don't.  But  I  am  sure  that  it 
will  interest  Mr.  Horace  Harker  and  the  subscribers  of  the 
Central  Press  Syndicate.  Now,  Watson,  I  think  that  we  shall 
find  that  we  have  a  long  and  rather  complex  day's  work  before 
us.  I  should  be  glad,  Lestrade,  if  you  could  make  it  convenient 
to  meet  us  at  Baker  Street  at  six  o'clock  this  evening.  Until 
then  I  should  like  to  keep  this  photograph,  found  in  the  dead 
man's  pocket.  It  is  possible  that  I  may  have  to  ask  your  com- 
pany and  assistance  upon  a  small  expedition  which  will  have 
to  be  undertaken  to-night,  if  my  chain  of  reasoning  should 
prove  to  be  correct.  Until  then,  good-bye  and  good  luck! " 

Sherlock  Holmes  and  I  walked  together  to  the  High  Street, 
where  we  stopped  at  the  shop  of  Harding  Brothers,  whence 


220  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  bust  had  been  purchased.  A  young  assistant  informed  us 
that  Mr.  Harding  would  be  absent  until  after  noon,  and  that  he 
was  himself  a  newcomer,  who  could  give  us  no  information. 
Holmes'  face  showed  his  disappointment  and  annoyance. 

"  Well,  well,  we  can't  expect  to  have  it  all  our  own  way,  Wat- 
son," he  said,  at  last.  "We  must  come  back  in  the  afternoon, 
if  Mr.  Harding  will  not  be  here  until  then.  I  am,  as  you  have 
no  doubt  surmised,  endeavouring  to  trace  these  busts  to  their 
source,  in  order  to  find  if  there  is  not  something  peculiar  which 
may  account  for  their  remarkable  fate.  Let  us  make  for  Mr. 
Morse  Hudson,  of  the  Kennington  Road,  and  see  if  he  can 
throw  any  light  upon  the  problem." 

A  drive  of  an  hour  brought  us  to  the  picture-dealer's  estab- 
lishment. He  was  a  small,  stout  man  with  a  red  face  and  a 
peppery  manner. 

"Yes,  sir.  On  my  very  counter,  sir,"  said  he.  "What  we 
pay  rates  and  taxes  for  I  don't  know,  when  any  ruffian  can 
come  in  and  break  one's  goods.  Yes,  sir,  it  was  I  who  sold 
Dr.  Barnicot  his  two  statues.  Disgraceful  sir!  A  Nihilist 
plot  —  that's  what  I  make  it.  No  one  but  an  anarchist  would 
go  about  breaking  statues.  Red  republicans  —  that's  what  I 
call  'em.  Who  did  I  get  the  statues  from  ?  I  don't  see  what 
that  has  to  do  with  it.  Well,  if  you  really  want  to  know,  I  got 
them  from  Gelder  and  Co.,  in  Church  Street,  Stepney.  They 
are  a  well-known  house  in  the  trade,  and  have  been  this  twenty 
years.  How  many  had  I  ?  Three  —  two  and  one  are  three  — 
two  of  Dr.  Barnicot's,  and  one  smashed  in  broad  daylight  on 
my  own  counter.  Do  I  know  that  photograph  ?  No,  I  don't. 
Yes,  I  do,  though.  Why,  it's  Beppo.  He  was  a  kind  of 
Italian  piece-work  man,  who  made  himself  useful  in  the  shop. 
He  could  carve  a  bit  and  gild  and  frame,  and  do  odd  jobs.  The 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  22P3 

fellow  left  me  last  week,  and  I've  heard  nothing  of  him  since. 
No,  I  don't  know  where  he  came  from  nor  where  he  went  to. 
I  had  nothing  against  him  while  he  was  here.  He  was  gone 
two  days  before  the  bust  was  smashed." 

"Well,  that's  all  we  could  reasonably  expect  from  Morse 
Hudson,"  said  Holmes,  as  we  emerged  from  the  shop.  "We 
have  this  Beppo  as  a  common  factor,  both  in  Kennington  and 
in  Kensington,  so  that  is  worth  a  ten-mile  drive.  Now,  Wat- 
son, let  us  make  for  Gelder  and  Co.,  of  Stepney,  the  source 
and  origin  of  the  busts.  I  shall  be  surprised  if  we  don't  get 
some  help  down  there." 

In  rapid  succession  we  passed  through  the  fringe  of  fashion- 
able London,  hotel  London,  theatrical  London,  literary  Lon- 
don, commercial  London,  and,  finally,  maritime  London,  till 
we  came  to  a  riverside  city  of  a  hundred  thousand  souls,  where 
the  tenement  houses  swelter  and  reek  with  the  outcasts  of 
Europe.  Here,  in  a  broad  thoroughfare,  once  the  abode  of 
wealthy  City  merchants,  we  found  the  sculpture  works  for 
which  we  searched.  Outside  was  a  considerable  yard  full  of 
monumental  masonry.  Inside  was  a  large  room  in  which 
fifty  workers  were  carving  or  moulding.  The  manager,  a  big 
blonde  German,  received  us  civilly,  and  gave  a  clear  answer  to 
all  Holmes'  questions.  A  reference  to  his  books  showed 
that  hundreds  of  casts  had  been  taken  from  a  marble  copy  of 
Devine's  head  of  Napoleon,  but  that  the  three  which  had  been 
sent  to  Morse  Hudson  a  year  or  so  before  had  been  half  of  a 
batch  of  six,  the  other  three  being  sent  to  Harding  Brothers,  of 
Kensington.  There  was  no  reason  why  those  six  should  be 
different  to  any  of  the  other  casts.  He  could  suggest  no  pos- 
sible cause  why  anyone  should  wish  to  destroy  them  —  in 
fact,  he  laughed  at  the  idea.  Their  wholesale  price  was  six 


222       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

shillings,  but  the  retailer  would  get  twelve  or  more.  The  cast 
was  taken  in  two  moulds  from  each  side  of  the  face,  and  then 
these  two  profiles  of  plaster  of  Paris  were  joined  together  to 
make  the  complete  bust.  The  work  was  usually  done  by 
Italians,  in  the  room  we  were  in.  When  finished,  the  busts 
were  put  on  a  table  in  the  passage  to  dry,  and  afterwards 
stored.  That  was  all  he  could  tell  us. 

But  the  production  of  the  photograph  had  a  remarkable 
effect  upon  the  manager.  His  face  flushed  with  anger,  and 
his  brows  knotted  over  his  blue  Teutonic  eyes. 

"Ah,  the  rascal!"  he  cried.  "Yes,  indeed,  I  know  him 
very  well.  This  has  always  been  a  respectable  establishment, 
and  the  only  time  that  we  have  ever  had  the  police  in  it  was 
over  this  very  fellow.  It  was  more  than  a  year  ago  now.  He 
knifed  another  Italian  in  the  street,  and  then  he  came  to  the 
works  with  the  police  on  his  heels,  and  he  was  taken  here. 
Beppo  was  his  name  —  his  second  name  I  never  knew.  Serve 
me  right  for  engaging  a  man  with  such  a  face.  But  he  was  a 
good  workman  —  one  of  the  best." 

"What  did  he  get?" 

"The  man  lived  and  he  got  off  with  a  year.  I  have  no 
doubt  he  is  out  now,  but  he  has  not  dared  to  show  his  nose 
here.  We  have  a  cousin  of  his  here,  and  I  dare  say  he  could 
tell  you  where  he  is.' 

"  No,  no,"  cried  Holmes,  "  not  a  word  to  the  cousin  —  not 
a  word,  I  beg  of  you.  The  matter  is  very  important,  and  the 
farther  I  go  with  it,  the  more  important  it  seems  to  grow.  When 
you  referred  in  your  ledger  to  the  sale  of  those  casts  I  observed 
that  the  date  was  June  3rd  of  last  year.  Could  you  give  me 
the  date  when  Beppo  was  arrested  ?  " 

"I  could  tell  you  roughly  by  the  pay-list,"  the  manager 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  223 

answered.  "Yes,"  he  continued,  after  some  turning  over  of 
pages,  "  he  was  paid  last  on  May  20th." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Holmes.  " I  don't  think  that  I  need  in- 
trude  upon  your  time  and  patience  any  more."  With  a  last 
word  of  caution  that  he  should  say  nothing  as  to  our  re- 
searches, we  turned  our  faces  westward  once  more. 

The  afternoon  was  far  advanced  before  we  were  able  to 
snatch  a  hasty  luncheon  at  a  restaurant.  A  news-bill  at  the 
entrance  announced  "Kensington  Outrage.  Murder  by  a 
Madman,"  and  the  contents  of  the  paper  showed  that  Mr. 
Horace  Harker  had  got  his  account  into  print  after  all.  Two 
columns  were  occupied  with  a  highly  sensational  and  flowery 
rendering  of  the  whole  incident.  Holmes  propped  it  against 
the  cruet-stand  and  read  it  while  he  ate.  Once  or  twice  he 
chuckled. 

"This  is  all  right,  Watson,"  said  he.  "Listen  to  this:  'It 
is  satisfactory  to  know  that  there  can  be  no  difference  of  opinion 
upon  this  case,  since  Mr.  Lestrade,  one  of  the  most  experienced 
members  of  the  official  force,  and  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  the 
well-known  consulting  expert,  have  each  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  grotesque  series  of  incidents,  which  have  ended  in 
so  tragic  a  fashion,  arise  from  lunacy  rather  than  from  delib- 
erate crime.  No  explanation  save  mental  aberration  can  cover 
the  facts.'  The  Press,  Watson,  is  a  most  valuable  institution, 
if  you  only  know  how  to  use  it.  And  now,  if  you  have  quite 
finished,  we  will  hark  back  to  Kensington,  and  see  what  the 
manager  of  Harding  Brothers  has  to  say  on  the  matter." 

The  founder  of  that  great  emporium  proved  to  be  a  brisk, 
crisp  little  person,  very  dapper  and  quick,  with  a  clear  head 
and  a  ready  tongue. 

"Yes,  sir,  I  have  already  read  the  account  in  the  evening 


224  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

papers.  Mr.  Horace  Harker  is  a  customer  of  ours.  We  sup- 
plied him  with  the  bust  some  months  ago.  We  ordered  three 
busts  of  that  sort  from  Gelder  and  Co.,  of  Stepney.  They  are 
all  sold  now.  To  whom  ?  Oh,  I  dare  say  by  consulting  our 
sales-book  we  could  very  easily  tell  you.  Yes,  we  have  the 
entries  here.  One  to  Mr.  Harker,  you  see,  and  one  to  Mr. 
Josiah  Brown,  of  Laburnum  Lodge,  Laburnum  Vale,  Chiswick, 
and  one  to  Mr.  Sandeford,  of  Lower  Grove  Road,  Reading. 
No,  I  have  never  seen  this  face  which  you  show  me  in  the 
photograph.  You  would  hardly  forget  it,  would  you,  sir,  for 
I've  seldom  seen  an  uglier.  Have  we  any  Italians  on  the  staff  ? 
Yes,  sir,  we  have  several  among  our  workpeople  and  cleaners. 
I  dare  say  they  might  get  a  peep  at  that  sales-book  if  they 
wanted  to.  There  is  no  particular  reason  for  keeping  a  watch 
upon  that  book.  Well,  well,  it's  a  very  strange  business,  and 
I  hope  that  you  will  let  me  know  if  anything  comes  of  your 
inquiries." 

Holmes  had  taken  several  notes  during  Mr.  Harding's  evi- 
dence, and  I  could  see  that  he  was  thoroughly  satisfied  by  the 
turn  which  affairs  were  taking-  He  made  no  remark,  however, 
save  that,  unless  we  hurried,  we  should  be  late  for  our  appoint- 
ment with  Lestrade.  Sure  enough,  when  we  reached  Baker 
Street  the  detective  was  already  there,  and  we  found  him  pacing 
up  and  down  in  a  fever  of  impatience.  His  look  of  importance 
showed  that  his  day's  work  had  not  been  in  vain, 

"  Well  ? "  he  asked.     "  What  luck,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 

"We  have  had  a  very  busy  day,  and  not  entirely  a  wasted 
one,"  my  friend  explained.  "  We  have  seen  both  the  retailers 
and  also  the  wholesale  manufacturers.  I  can  trace  each  of 
the  busts  now  from  the  beginning." 

"The  busts!"  cried  Lestrade.     "Well,  well,  you  have  your 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  225 

own  methods,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  and  it  is  not  for  me  to 
say  a  word  against  them,  but  I  think  I  have  done  a  better  day's 
work  than  you.  I  have  identified  the  dead  man." 

"  You  don't  say  so  ?  " 

"  And  found  a  cause  for  the  crime." 

"Splendid!" 

"  We  have  an  inspector  who  makes  a  speciality  of  Saffron 
Hill  and  the  Italian  Quarter.  Well,  this  dead  man  had  some 
Catholic  emblem  round  his  neck,  and  that,  along  with  his  col- 
our, made  me  think  he  was  from  the  South.  Inspector  Hill 
knew  him  the  moment  he  caught  sight  of  him.  His  name  is 
Pietro  Venucci,  from  Naples,  and  he  is  one  of  the  greatest 
cut-throats  in  London.  He  is  connected  with  the  Mafia, 
which,  as  you  know,  is  a  secret  political  society,  enforcing  its 
decrees  by  murder.  Now,  you  see  how  the  affair  begins  to 
clear  up.  The  other  fellow  is  probably  an  Italian  also,  and 
a  member  of  the  Mafia.  He  has  broken  the  rules  in  some 
fashion.  Pietro  is  set  upon  his  track.  Probably  the  photo- 
graph we  found  in  his  pocket  is  the  man  himself,  so  that  he 
may  not  knife  the  wrong  person.  He  dogs  the  fellow,  he  sees 
him  enter  a  house,  he  waits  outside  for  him,  and  in  the  scuffle 
he  receives  his  own  death-wound.  How  is  that,  Mr.  Sherlock 
Holmes?" 

Holmes  clapped  his  hands  approvingly. 

"Excellent,  Lestrade,  excellent!"  he  cried.  "But  I  didn't 
quite  follow  your  explanation  of  the  destruction  of  the  busts." 

"The  busts!  You  never  can  get  those  busts  out  of  your 
head.  After  all,  that  is  nothing;  petty  larceny,  six  months  at 
the  most.  It  is  the  murder  that  we  are  really  investigating,  and 
I  tell  you  that  I  am  gathering  all  the  threads  into  my  hands." 

"  And  the  next  stage  ? " 


226  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"Is  a  very  simple  one.  I  shall  go  down  with  Hill  to  the 
Italian  quarter,  find  the  man  whose  photograph  we  have  got, 
and  arrest  him  on  the  charge  of  murder.  Will  you  come  with 
us?" 

"I  think  not.  I  fancy  we  can  attain  our  end  in  a  simpler 
way.  I  can't  say  for  certain,  because  it  all  depends  —  well, 
it  all  depends  upon  a  factor  which  is  completely  outside  our 
control.  But  I  have  great  hopes  —  in  fact,  the  betting  is 
exactly  two  to  one  —  that  if  you  will  come  with  us  to-night 
I  shall  be  able  to  help  you  to  lay  him  by  the  heels." 

"  In  the  Italian  Quarter  ?  " 

"No,  I  fancy  Chiswick  is  an  address  which  is  more  likely 
to  find  him.  If  you  will  come  with  me  to  Chiswick  to-night, 
Lestrade,  I'll  promise  to  go  to  the  Italian  Quarter  with  you 
to-morrow,  and  no  harm  will  be  done  by  the  delay.  And  now 
I  think  that  a  few  hours'  sleep  would  do  us  all  good,  for  I  do 
not  propose  to  leave  before  eleven  o'clock,  and  it  is  unlikely 
that  we  shall  be  back  before  morning.  You'll  dine  with  us, 
Lestrade,  and  then  you  are  welcome  to  the  sofa  until  it  is  time 
for  us  to  start.  In  the  meantime,  Watson,  I  should  be  glad  if 
you  would  ring  for  an  express  messenger,  for  I  have  a  letter  to 
send,  and  it  is  important  that  it  should  go  at  once." 

Holmes  spent  the  evening  in  rummaging  among  the  files  of 
the  old  daily  papers  with  which  one  of  our  lumber-rooms  was 
packed.  When  at  last  he  descended,  it  was  with  triumph  in 
his  eyes,  but  he  said  nothing  to  either  of  us  as  to  the  result  of 
his  researches.  For  my  own  part,  I  had  followed  step  by  step 
the  methods  by  which  he  had  traced  the  various  windings  of 
this  complex  case,  and,  though  I  could  not  yet  perceive  the  goal 
which  we  would  reach,  I  understood  clearly  that  Holmes  ex- 
pected this  grotesque  criminal  to  make  an  attempt  upon  the 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  227 

two  remaining  busts,  one  of  which,  I  remembered,  was  at  Chis- 
wick.  No  doubt  the  object  of  our  journey  was  to  catch  him  in 
the  very  act,  and  I  could  not  but  admire  the  cunning  with  which 
my  friend  had  inserted  a  wrong  clue  in  the  evening  paper,  so 
as  to  give  the  fellow  the  idea  that  he  could  continue  his  scheme 
with  impunity.  I  was  not  surprised  when  Holmes  suggested 
that  I  should  take  my  revolver  with  me.  He  had  himself 
picked  up  the  loaded  hunting-crop,  which  was  his  favourite 
weapon. 

A  four-wheeler  was  at  the  door  at  eleven,  and  in  it  we  drove 
to  a  spot  at  the  other  side  of  Hammersmith  Bridge.  Here  the 
cabman  was  directed  to  wait.  A  short  walk  brought  us  to  a 
secluded  road  fringed  with  pleasant  houses,  each  standing  in 
its  own  grounds.  In  the  light  of  a  street  lamp  we  read  "  Labur- 
num Villa"  upon  the  gate-post  of  one  of  them.  The  occu- 
pants had  evidently  retired  to  rest,  for  all  was  dark  save  for  a 
fanlight  over  the  hall  door,  which  shed  a  single  blurred  circle 
on  to  the  garden  path.  The  wooden  fence  which  separated 
the  grounds  from  the  road  threw  a  dense  black  shadow  upon 
the  inner  side,  and  here  it  was  that  we  crouched. 

"I  fear  that  you'll  have  a  long  wait,"  Holmes  whispered. 
"  We  may  thank  our  stars  that  it  is  not  raining.  I  don't  think 
we  can  even  venture  to  smoke  to  pass  the  time.  However, 
it's  a  two  to  one  chance  that  we  get  something  to  pay  us  for  our 
trouble." 

It  proved,  however,  that  our  vigil  was  not  to  be  so  long  as 
Holmes  had  led  us  to  fear,  and  it  ended  in  a  very  sudden  and 
singular  fashion.  In  an  instant,  without  the  least  sound  to 
warn  us  of  his  coming,  the  garden  gate  swung  open,  and  a 
lithe,  dark  figure,  as  swift  and  active  as  an  ape,  rushed  up  the 
garden  path.  We  saw  it  whisk  past  the  light  thrown  from 


228       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

over  the  door  and  disappear  against  the  black  shadow  of  the 
house.  There  was  a  long  pause,  during  which  we  held  our 
breath,  and  then  a  very  gentle  creaking  sound  came  to  our 
ears.  The  window  was  being  opened.  The  noise  ceased, 
and  again  there  was  a  long  silence.  The  fellow  was  making 
his  way  into  the  house.  We  saw  the  sudden  flash  of  a  dark 
lantern  inside  the  room.  What  he  sought  was  evidently  not 
there,  for  again  we  saw  the  flash  through  another  blind,  and 
then  through  another. 

"Let  us  get  to  the  open  window.  We  will  nab  him  as  he 
climbs  out,"  Lestrade  whispered. 

But  before  we  could  move,  the  man  had  emerged  again.  As 
he  came  out  into  the  glimmering  patch  of  light,  we  saw  that  he 
carried  something  white  under  his  arm.  He  looked  stealthily 
all  round  him.  The  silence  of  the  deserted  street  reassured 
him.  Turning  his  back  upon  us  he  laid  down  his  burden, 
and  the  next  instant  there  was  the  sound  of  a  sharp  tap,  followed 
by  a  clatter  and  rattle.  The  man  was  so  intent  upon  what  he 
was  doing  that  he  never  heard  our  steps  as  we  stole  across  the 
grass  plot.  With  the  bound  of  a  tiger  Holmes  was  on  his  back, 
and  an  instant  later  Lestrade  and  I  had  him  by  either  wrist, 
and  the  handcuffs  had  been  fastened.  As  we  turned  him  over 
I  saw  a  hideous,  sallow  face,  with  writhing,  furious  features, 
glaring  up  at  us,  and  I  knew  that  it  was  indeed  the  man  of  the 
photograph  whom  we  had  secured. 

But  it  was  not  our  prisoner  to  whom  Holmes  was  giving  his 
attention.  Squatted  on  the  doorstep,  he  was  engaged  in  most 
carefully  examining  that  which  the  man  had  brought  from  the 
house.  It  was  a  bust  of  Napoleon,  like  the  one  which  we  had 
seen  that  morning,  and  it  had  been  broken  into  similar  frag- 
ments. Carefully  Holmes  held  each  separate  shard  to  the  light, 


WE    SAW    THAT     HE    CARRIED    SOMETHING    WHITE     UNDER    HIS    ARM 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  229 

but  in  no  way  did  it  differ  from  any  other  shattered  piece  of 
plaster.  He  had  just  completed  his  examination  when  the 
hall  lights  flew  up,  the  door  opened,  and  the  owner  of  the  house, 
a  jovial,  rotund  figure  in  shirt  and  trousers,  presented  himself. 

"  Mr.  Josiah  Brown,  I  suppose  ?  "  said  Holmes. 

"Yes,  sir;  and  you,  no  doubt,  are  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  ?  I 
had  the  note  which  you  sent  by  the  express  messenger,  and  I  did 
exactly  what  you  told  me.  We  locked  every  door  on  the  inside 
and  awaited  developments.  Well,  I'm  very  glad  to  see  that  you 
have  got  the  rascal.  I  hope,  gentlemen,  that  you  will  come 
in  and  have  some  refreshment." 

However,  Lestrade  was  anxious  to  get  his  man  into  safe 
quarters,  so  within  a  few  minutes  our  cab  had  been  summoned 
and  we  were  all  four  upon  our  way  to  London.  Not  a  word 
would  our  captive  say,  but  he  glared  at  us  from  the  shadow  of 
his  matted  hair,  and  once,  when  my  hand  seemed  within  his 
reach,  he  snapped  at  it  like  a  hungry  wolf.  We  stayed  long 
enough  at  the  police-station  to  learn  that  a  search  of  his  cloth- 
ing revealed  nothing  save  a  few  shillings  and  a  long  sheath 
knife,  the  handle  of  which  bore  copious  traces  of  recent  blood. 

"That's  all  right,"  said  Lestrade,  as  we  parted.  "Hill 
knows  all  these  gentry,  and  he  will  give  a  name  to  him.  You'll 
find  that  my  theory  of  the  Mafia  will  work  out  all  right.  But 
I'm  sure  I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you,  Mr.  Holmes,  for 
the  workmanlike  way  in  which  you  laid  hands  upon  him.  I 
don't  quite  understand  it  all  yet." 

"  I  fear  it  is  rather  too  late  an  hour  for  explanations,"  said 
Holmes.  "  Besides,  there  are  one  or  two  details  which  are  not 
finished  off,  and  it  is  one  of  those  cases  which  are  worth  work- 
ing out  to  the  very  end.  If  you  will  come  round  once  more 
to  my  rooms  at  six  o'clock  to-morrow,  I  think  I  shall  be  able 


230       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

to  show  you  that  even  now  you  have  not  grasped  the  entire 
meaning  of  this  business,  which  presents  some  features  which 
make  it  absolutely  original  in  the  history  of  crime.  If  ever  I 
permit  you  to  chronicle  any  more  of  my  little  problems,  Wat- 
son, I  foresee  that  you  will  enliven  your  pages  by  an  account  of 
the  singular  adventure  of  the  Napoleonic  busts." 

When  we  met  again  next  evening,  Lestrade  was  furnished 
with  much  information  concerning  our  prisoner.  His  name, 
it  appeared  was  Beppo,  second  name  unknown.  He  was  a 
well-known  ne'er-do- well  among  the  Italian  colony.  He  had  once 
been  a  skilful  sculptor  and  had  earned  an  honest  living,  but  he 
had  taken  to  evil  courses  and  had  twice  already  been  in  gaol  - 
once  for  a  petty  theft,  and  once,  as  we  had  already  heard,  for 
stabbing  a  fellow-countryman.  He  could  talk  English  perfect- 
ly well.  His  reasons  for  destroying  the  busts  were  still  un- 
known, and  he  refused  to  answer  any  questions  upon  the  sub- 
ject, but  the  police  had  discovered  that  these  same  busts  might 
very  well  have  been  made  by  his  own  hands,  since  he  was 
engaged  in  this  class  of  work  at  the  establishment  of  Gelder 
and  Co.  To  all  this  information,  much  of  which  we  already 
knew,  Holmes  listened  with  polite  attention,  but  I,  who  knew 
him  so  well,  could  clearly  see  that  his  thoughts  were  elsewhere, 
and  I  detected  a  mixture  of  mingled  uneasiness  and  expecta- 
tion beneath  that  mask  which  he  was  wont  to  assume.  At 
last  he  started  in  his  chair,  and  his  eyes  brightened.  There 
had  been  a  ring  at  the  bell.  A  minute  later  we  heard 
steps  upon  the  stairs,  and  an  elderly,  red-faced  man  with 
grizzled  side-whiskers  was  ushered  in.  In  his  right  hand 
he  carried  an  old-fashioned  carpet-bag,  which  he  placed 
upon  the  table. 

"  Is  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  here  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  231 

My  friend  bowed  and  smiled.  "Mr.  Sandeford,  of  Read- 
ing, I  suppose  ?  "  said  he. 

"Yes,  sir,  I  fear  that  I  am  a  little  late,  but  the  trains  were 
awkward.  You  wrote  to  me  about  a  bust  that  is  in  my  pos- 
session." 

"Exactly." 

"  I  have  your  letter  here.  You  said,  '  I  desire  to  possess  a 
copy  of  Devine's  Napoleon,  and  am  prepared  to  pay  you  ten 
pounds  for  the  one  which  is  in  your  possession.'  Is  that  right  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"I  was  very  much  surprised  at  your  letter,  for  I  could  not 
imagine  how  you  knew  that  I  owned  such  a  thing." 

"  Of  course  you  must  have  been  surprised,  but  the  expla- 
nation is  very  simple.  Mr.  Harding,  of  Harding  Brothers, 
said  that  they  had  sold  you  their  last  copy,  and  he  gave  me 
your  address." 

.     "Oh,  that  was  it,  was  it?     Did  he  tell  you  what  I  paid  for 
it?" 

"No,  he  did  not." 

"  Well,  I  am  an  honest  man,  though  not  a  very  rich  one.  I 
only  gave  fifteen  shillings  for  the  bust,  and  I  think  you  ought 
to  know  that  before  I  take  ten  pounds  from  you." 

"I  am  sure  the  scruple  does  you  honour,  Mr.  Sandeford. 
But  I  have  named  that  price,  so  I  intend  to  stick  to  it." 

"Well,  it  is  very  handsome  of  you,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  brought 
the  bust  up  with  me,  as  you  asked  me  to  do.  Here  it  is ! "  He 
opened  his  bag,  and  at  last  we  saw  placed  upon  our  table  a 
complete  specimen  of  that  bust  which  we  had  already  seen  more 
than  once  in  fragments. 

Holmes  took  a  paper  from  his  pocket  and  laid  a  ten-pound 
note  upon  the  table. 


232  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"You  will  kindly  sign  that  paper,  Mr.  Sandeford,  in  the 
presence  of  these  witnesses.  It  is  simply  to  say  that  you  trans- 
fer every  possible  right  that  you  ever  had  in  the  bust  to  me.  I 
am  a  methodical  man,  you  see,  and  you  never  know  what 
turn  events  might  take  afterwards.  Thank  you,  Mr.  Sande- 
ford; here  is  your  money,  and  I  wish  you  a  very  good  evening." 

When  our  visitor  had  disappeared,  Sherlock  Holmes'  move- 
ments were  such  as  to  rivet  our  attention.  He  began  by  taking 
a  clean  white  cloth  from  a  drawer  and  laying  it  over  the  table. 
Then  he  placed  his  newly  acquired  bust  in  the  centre  of  the 
cloth.  Finally,  he  picked  up  his  hunting-crop  and  struck 
Napoleon  a  sharp  blow  on  the  top  of  the  head.  The  figure 
broke  into  fragments,  and  Holmes  bent  eagerly  over  the  shat- 
tered remains.  Next  instant,  with  a  loud  shout  of  triumph 
he  held  up  one  splinter,  in  which  a  round,  dark  object  was  fixed 
like  a  plum  in  a  pudding. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  cried,  " let  me  introduce  you  to  the  famous 
black  pearl  of  the  Borgias." 

Lestrade  and  I  sat  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then,  with  a 
spontaneous  impulse,  we  both  broke  out  clapping,  as  at  the  well- 
wrought  crisis  of  a  play.  A  flush  of  colour  sprang  to  Holmes' 
pale  cheeks,  and  he  bowed  to  us  like  the  master  dramatist  who 
receives  the  homage  of  his  audience.  It  was  at  such  moments 
that  for  an  instant  he  ceased  to  be  a  reasoning  machine,  and 
betrayed  his  human  love  for  admiration  and  applause.  The 
same  singularly  proud  and  reserved  nature  which  turned  away 
with  disdain  from  popular  notoriety  was  capable  of  being 
moved  to  its  depths  by  spontaneous  wonder  and  praise  from  a 
friend. 

"Yes,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "it  is  the  most  famous  pearl 
now  existing  in  the  world,  and  it  has  been  my  good  fortune, 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  233 

by  a  connected  chain  of  inductive  reasoning,  to  trace  it  from 
the  Prince  of  Colonna's  bedroom  at  the  Dacre  Hotel,  where  it 
was  lost,  to  the  interior  of  this,  the  last  of  the  six  busts  of  Napo- 
leon which  were  manufactured  by  Gelder  and  Co.,  of  Stepney. 
You  will  remember,  Lestrade,  the  sensation  caused  by  the  dis- 
appearance of  this  valuable  jewel,  and  the  vain  efforts  of  the 
London  police  to  recover  it.  I  was  myself  consulted  upon  the 
case,  but  I  was  unable  to  throw  any  light  upon  it.  Suspicion 
fell  upon  the  maid  of  the  Princess,  who  was  an  Italian,  and  it 
was  proved  that  she  had  a  brother  in  London,  but  we  failed 
to  trace  any  connection  between  them.  The  maid's  name  was 
Lucretia  Venucci,  and  there  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  this 
Pietro  who  was  murdered  two  nights  ago  was  the  brother.  I 
have  been  looking  up  the  dates  in  the  old  files  of  the  paper, 
and  I  find  that  the  disappearance  of  the  pearl  was  exactly  two 
days  before  the  arrest  of  Beppo,  for  some  crime  of  violence  —  an 
event  which  took  place  in  the  factory  of  Gelder  and  Co.,  at  the 
very  moment  when  these  busts  were  being  made.  Now  you 
clearly  see  the  sequence  of  events,  though  you  see  them,  of 
course,  in  the  inverse  order  to  the  way  in  which  they  presented 
themselves  to  me.  Beppo  had  the  pearl  in  his  possession.  He 
may  have  stolen  it  from  Pietro,  he  may  have  been  Pietro's 
confederate,  he  may  have  been  the  go-between  of  Pietro  and 
his  sister.  It  is  of  no  consequence  to  us  which  is  the  correct 
solution. 

"  The  main  fact  is  that  he  had  the  pearl,  and  at  that  moment, 
when  it  was  on  his  person,  he  was  pursued  by  the  police.  He 
made  for  the  factory  in  which  he  worked,  and  he  knew  that  he 
had  only  a  few  minutes  in  which  to  conceal  this  enormously 
valuable  prize,  which  would  otherwise  be  found  on  him  when  he 
was  searched.  Six  plaster  casts  of  Napoleon  were  drying  in 


234  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  passage.  One  of  them  was  still  soft.  In  an  instant  Beppo, 
a  skilful  workman,  made  a  small  hole  in  the  wet  plaster, 
dropped  in  the  pearl,  and  with  a  few  touches  covered  over  the 
aperture  once  more.  It  was  an  admirable  hiding-place.  No 
one  could  possibly  find  it.  But  Beppo  was  condemned  to  a 
year's  imprisonment,  and  in  the  meanwhile  his  six  busts  were 
scattered  over  London.  He  could  not  tell  which  contained 
his  treasure.  Only  by  breaking  them  could  he  see.  Even 
shaking  would  tell  him  nothing,  for  as  the  plaster  was  wet  it 
was  probable  that  the  pearl  would  adhere  to  it  —  as,  in  fact, 
it  has  done.  Beppo  did  not  despair,  and  he  conducted  his 
search  with  considerable  ingenuity  and  perseverance.  Through 
a  cousin  who  works  with  Gelder,  he  found  out  the  retail  firms 
who  had  bought  the  busts.  He  managed  to  find  employment 
with  Morse  Hudson,  and  in  that  way  tracked  down  three  of 
them.  The  pearl  was  not  there.  Then,  with  the  help  of  some 
Italian  employe,  he  succeeded  in  finding  out  where  the  other 
three  busts  had  gone.  The  first  was  at  Barker's.  There  he 
was  dogged  by  his  confederate,  who  held  Beppo  responsible  for 
the  loss  of  the  pearl,  and  he  stabbed  him  in  the  scuffle  which 
followed." 

"  If  he  was  his  confederate,  why  should  he  carry  his  photo- 
graph ?  "  I  asked. 

"As  a  means  of  tracing  him,  if  he  wished  to  inquire  about 
him  from  any  third  person.  That  was  the  obvious  reason. 
Well,  after  the  murder  I  calculated  that  Beppo  would  probably 
hurry  rather  than  delay  his  movements.  He  would  fear  that 
the  police  would  read  his  secret,  and  so  he  hastened  on  before 
they  should  get  ahead  of  him.  Of  course,  I  could  not  say  that 
he  had  not  found  the  pearl  in  Barker's  bust.  I  had  not  even 
concluded  for  certain  that  it  was  the  pearl,  but  it  was  evident 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SIX  NAPOLEONS  235 

to  me  that  he  was  looking  for  something,  since  he  carried  the 
bust  past  the  other  houses  in  order  to  break  it  in  the  garden 
which  had  a  lamp  overlooking  it.  Since  Marker's  bust  was  one 
in  three,  the  chances  were  exactly  as  I  told  you  —  two  to  one 
against  the  pearl  being  inside  it.  There  remained  two  busts, 
and  it  was  obvious  that  he  would  go  for  the  London  one  first. 
I  warned  the  inmates  of  the  house,  so  as  to  avoid  a  second 
tragedy,  and  we  went  down  with  the  happiest  results.  By  that 
time,  of  course,  I  knew  for  certain  that  it  was  the  Borgia  pearl 
that  we  were  after.  The  name  of  the  murdered  man  linked 
the  one  event  with  the  other.  There  only  remained  a  single 
bust  —  the  Reading  one  —  and  the  pearl  must  be  there.  I 
bought  it  in  your  presence  from  the  owner  —  and  there  it  lies." 

We  sat  in  silence  for  a  moment. 

"  Well,"  said  Lestrade,  "  I've  seen  you  handle  a  good  many 
cases,  Mr.  Holmes,  but  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  knew  a  more 
workmanlike  one  than  that.  We're  not  jealous  of  you  at  Scot- 
land Yard.  No,  sir,  we  are  very  proud  of  you,  and  if  you  come 
down  to-morrow,  there's  not  a  man,  from  the  oldest  inspector 
to  the  youngest  constable,  who  wouldn't  be  glad  to  shake  you 
by  the  hand." 

"Thank  you!"  said  Holmes.  "Thank  you!"  and  as  he 
turned  away,  it  seemed  to  me  that  he  was  more  nearly  moved 
by  the  softer  human  emotions  than  I  had  ever  seen  him.  A 
moment  later  he  was  the  cold  and  practical  thinker  once  more. 
"  Put  the  pearl  in  the  safe,  Watson,"  said  he,  "  and  get  out  the 
papers  of  the  Conk-Singleton  forgery  case.  Good-bye,  Les- 
trade. If  any  little  problem  comes  your  way,  I  shall  be  happy, 
if  I  can,  to  give  you  a  hint  or  two  as  to  its  solution." 


IX 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE   THREE   STUDENTS 

IT  was  in  the  year  '95  that  a  combination  of  events,  into 
which  I  need  not  enter,  caused  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  and 
myself  to  spend  some  weeks  in  one  of  our  great  University 
towns,  and  it  was  during  this  time  that  the  small  but  instruc- 
tive adventure  which  I  am  about  to  relate  befell  us.  It  will  be 
obvious  that  any  details  which  would  help  the  reader  to  exactly 
identify  the  college  or  the  criminal  would  be  injudicious  and 
offensive.  So  painful  a  scandal  may  well  be  allowed  to  die  out. 
With  due  discretion  the  incident  itself  may,  however,  be  de- 
scribed, since  it  serves  to  illustrate  some  of  those  qualities  for 
which  my  friend  was  remarkable.  I  will  endeavour,  in  my 
statement,  to  avoid  such  terms  as  would  serve  to  limit  the 
events  to  any  particular  place,  or  give  a  clue  as  to  the  people 
concerned. 

We  were  residing  at  the  time  in  furnished  lodgings  close  to 
a  library  where  Sherlock  Holmes  was  pursuing  some  laborious 
researches  in  early  English  charters  —  researches  which  led  to 
results  so  striking  that  they  may  be  the  subject  of  one  of  my 
future  narratives.  Here  it  was  that  one  evening  we  received 
a  visit  from  an  acquaintance,  Mr.  Hilton  Soames,  tutor  and 


238  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

lecturer  at  the  College  of  St.  Luke's.  Mr.  Soames  was  a  tall, 
spare  man,  of  a  nervous  and  excitable  temperament.  I  had 
always  known  him  to  be  restless  in  his  manner,  but  on  this 
particular  occasion  he  was  in  such  a  state  of  uncontrollable 
agitation  that  it  was  clear  something  very  unusual  had  occurred. 

"  I  trust,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  you  can  spare  me  a  few  hours  of 
your  valuable  time.  We  have  had  a  very  painful  incident 
at  St.  Luke's,  and  really,  but  for  the  happy  chance  of  your 
being  in  town,  I  should  have  been  at  a  loss  what  to  do." 

"I  am  very  busy  just  now,  and  I  desire  no  distractions," 
my  friend  answered.  "I  should  much  prefer  that  you  called 
in  the  aid  of  the  police." 

"No,  no,  my  dear  sir;  such  a  course  is  utterly  impossible. 
When  once  the  law  is  evoked  it  cannot  be  stayed  again,  and 
this  is  just  one  of  those  cases  where,  for  the  credit  of  the  college, 
it  is  most  essential  to  avoid  scandal.  Your  discretion  is  as  well 
known  as  your  powers,  and  you  are  the  one  man  in  the  world 
who  can  help  me.  I  beg  you,  Mr.  Holmes,  to  do  what  you 
can." 

My  friend's  temper  had  not  improved  since  he  had  been 
deprived  of  the  congenial  surroundings  of  Baker  Street.  With- 
out his  scrap-books,  his  chemicals,  and  his  homely  untidiness, 
he  was  an  uncomfortable  man.  He  shrugged  his  shoulders  in 
ungracious  acquiescence,  while  our  visitor  in  hurried  words 
and  with  much  excitable  gesticulation  poured  forth  his  story. 

"  I  must  explain  to  you,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  to-morrow  is  the 
first  day  of  the  examination  for  the  Fortescue  Scholarship.  I 
am  one  of  the  examiners.  My  subject  is  Greek,  and  the  first 
of  the  papers  consists  of  a  large  passage  of  Greek  translation 
which  the  candidate  has  not  seen.  This  passage  is  printed  on 
the  examination  paper,  and  it  would  naturally  be  an  immense 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS    239 

advantage  if  the  candidate  could  prepare  it  in  advance.  For 
this  reason,  great  care  is  taken  to  keep  the  paper  secret. 

"To-day,  about  three  o'clock,  the  proofs  of  this  paper  arrived 
from  the  printers.  The  exercise  consists  of  half  a  chapter  of 
Thucydides.  I  had  to  read  it  over  carefully,  as  the  text  must 
be  absolutely  correct.  At  four-thirty  my  task  was  not  yet  com- 
pleted. I  had,  however,  promised  to  take  tea  in  a  friend's 
rooms,  so  I  left  the  proof  upon  my  desk.  I  was  absent  rather 
more  than  an  hour. 

"You  are  aware,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  our  college  doors  are 
double  —  a  green  baize  one  within  and  a  heavy  oak  one  with- 
out. As  I  approached  my  outer  door,  I  was  amazed  to  see  a 
key  in  it.  For  an  instant  I  imagined  that  I  had  left  my  own 
there,  but  on  feeling  in  my  pocket  I  found  that  it  was  all  right. 
The  only  duplicate  which  existed,  so  far  as  I  knew,  was  that 
t  which  belonged  to  my  servant,  Bannister  —  a  man  who  has 
looked  after  my  room  for  ten  years,  and  whose  honesty  is  abso- 
lutely above  suspicion.  I  found  that  the  key  was  indeed  his, 
that  he  had  entered  my  room  to  know  if  I  wanted  tea,  and  that 
he  had  very  carelessly  left  the  key  in  the  door  when  he  came 
out.  His  visit  to  my  room  must  have  been  within  a  very  few 
minutes  of  my  leaving  it.  His  forgetfulness  about  the  key 
would  have  mattered  little  upon  any  other  occasion,  but  on 
this  one  day  it  has  produced  the  most  deplorable  con- 
sequences. 

"  The  moment  I  looked  at  my  table,  I  was  aware  that  some- 
one had  rummaged  among  my  papers.  The  proof  was  in  three 
long  slips.  I  had  left  them  all  together.  Now,  I  found  that 
one  of  them  was  lying  on  the  floor,  one  was  on  the  side  table 
near  the  window,  and  the  third  was  where  I  had  left  it." 

Holmes  stirred  for  the  first  time. 


240  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"The  first  page  on  the  floor,  the  second  in  the  window,  the 
third  where  you  left  it,"  said  he. 

"Exactly,  Mr.  Holmes.  You  amaze  me.  How  could  you 
possibly  know  that  ?  " 

"  Pray  continue  your  very  interesting  statement." 

"  For  an  instant  I  imagined  that  Bannister  had  taken  the 
unpardonable  liberty  of  examining  my  papers.  He  denied  it, 
however,  with  the  utmost  earnestness,  and  I  am  convinced 
that  he  was  speaking  the  truth.  The  alternative  was  that 
someone  passing  had  observed  the  key  in  the  door,  had  known 
that  I  was  out,  and  had  entered  to  look  at  the  papers.  A  large 
sum  of  money  is  at  stake,  for  the  scholarship  is  a  very  valuable 
one,  and  an  unscrupulous  man  might  very  well  run  a  risk  in 
order  to  gain  an  advantage  over  his  fellows. 

"  Bannister  was  very  much  upset  by  the  incident.  He  had 
nearly  fainted  when  we  found  that  the  papers  had  undoubt- 
edly been  tampered  with.  I  gave  him  a  little  brandy  and  left 
him  collapsed  in  a  chair,  while  I  made  a  most  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  room.  I  soon  saw  that  the  intruder  had  left  other 
traces  of  his  presence  besides  the  rumpled  papers.  On  the 
table  in  the  window  were  several  shreds  from  a  pencil  which 
had  been  sharpened.  A  broken  tip  of  lead  was  lying  there 
also.  Evidently  the  rascal  had  copied  the  paper  in  a  great 
hurry,  had  broken  his  pencil,  and  had  been  compelled  to  put  a 
fresh  point  to  it." 

"Excellent!"  said  Holmes,  who  was  recovering  his  good- 
humour  as  his  attention  became  more  engrossed  by  the  case. 
"  Fortune  has  been  your  friend." 

"This  was  not  all.  I  have  a  new  writing-table  with  a  fine 
surface  of  red  leather.  I  am  prepared  to  swear,  and  so  is  Ban- 
nister, that  it  was  smooth  and  unstained.  Now  I  found  a  clean 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS    241 

cut  in  it  about  three  inches  long  —  not  a  mere  scratch,  but  a 
positive  cut.  Not  only  this,  but  on  the  table  I  found  a  small 
ball  of  black  dough  or  clay,  with  specks  of  something  which 
looks  like  sawdust  in  it.  I  am  convinced  that  these  marks 
were  left  by  the  man  who  rifled  the  papers.  There  were  no 
footmarks  and  no  other  evidence  as  to  his  identity.  I  was  at 
my  wits'  ends,  when  suddenly  the  happy  thought  occurred  to 
me  that  you  were  in  the  town,  and  I  came  straight  round  to 
put  the  matter  into  your  hands.  Do  help  me,  Mr.  Holmes. 
You  see  my  dilemma.  Either  I  must  find  the  man  or  else  the 
examination  must  be  postponed  until  fresh  papers  are  pre- 
pared, and  since  this  cannot  be  done  without  explanation,  there 
will  ensue  a  hideous  scandal,  which  will  throw  a  cloud  not  only 
on  the  college,  but  on  the  university.  Above  all  things,  I  desire 
to  settle  the  matter  quietly  and  discreetly." 

"I  shall  be  happy  to  look  into  it  and  to  give  you  such 
advice  as  I  can,"  said  Holmes,  rising  and  putting  on 
his  overcoat.  "The  case  is  not  entirely  devoid  of  interest. 
Had  anyone  visited  you  in  your  room  after  the  papers  came 
to  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  young  Daulat  Ras,  an  Indian  student,  who  lives  on 
the  same  stair,  came  in  to  ask  me  some  particulars  about  the 
examination." 

"  For  which  he  was  entered  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  And  the  papers  were  on  your  table  ?  " 

"  To  the  best  of  my  belief,  they  were  rolled  up." 

"  But  might  be  recognised  as  proofs  ?  " 

"Possibly." 

"  No  one  else  in  your  room  ?  " 

"No." 


242       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Did  anyone  know  that  these  proofs  would  be  there  ?  " 

"  No  one  save  the  printer." 

"  Did  this  man  Bannister  know  ?  " 

"  No,  certainly  not.     No  one  knew." 

"  Where  is  Bannister  now  ?  " 

"  He  was  very  ill,  poor  fellow.  I  left  him  collapsed  in  the 
chair.  I  was  in  such  a  hurry  to  come  to  you." 

"  You  left  your  door  open  ?  " 

"  I  locked  up  the  papers  first." 

"  Then  it  amounts  to  this,  Mr.  Soames,  that,  unless  the  In- 
dian student  recognised  the  roll  as  being  proofs,  the  man  who 
tampered  with  them  came  upon  them  accidentally  without 
knowing  that  they  were  there." 

"  So  it  seems  to  me." 

Holmes  gave  an  enigmatic  smile. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  let  us  go  round.  Not  one  of  your  cases, 
Watson  —  mental,  not  physical.  All  right;  come  if  you  want 
to.  Now,  Mr.  Soames  —  at  your  disposal ! " 

The  sitting-room  of  our  client  opened  by  a  long,  low,  latticed 
window  on  to  the  ancient  lichen-tinted  court  of  the  old  college. 
A  Gothic  arched  door  led  to  a  worn  stone  staircase.  On  the 
ground  floor  was  the  tutor's  room.  Above  were  three  students, 
one  on  each  story.  It  was  already  twilight  when  we  reached 
the  scene  of  our  problem.  Holmes  halted  and  looked  earnestly 
at  the  window.  Then  he  approached  it,  and,  standing  on 
tip-toe  with  his  neck  craned,  he  looked  into  the  room. 

"He  must  have  entered  through  the  door.  There  is  no 
opening  except  the  one  pane,"  said  our  learned  guide. 

"  Dear  me ! "  said  Holmes,  and  he  smiled  in  a  singular  way 
as  he  glanced  at  our  companion.  "Well,  if  there  is  nothing 
to  be  learned  here,  we  had  best  go  inside." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS          243 

The  lecturer  unlocked  the  outer  door  and  ushered  us  into  his 
room.  We  stood  at  the  entrance  while  Holmes  made  an  exam- 
ination of  the  carpet. 

"  I  am  afraid  there  are  no  signs  here,"  said  he.  *'  One  could 
hardly  hope  for  any  upon  so  dry  a  day.  Your  servant  seems 
to  have  quite  recovered.  You  left  him  in  a  chair,  you  say. 
Which  chair?" 

"  By  the  window  there." 

"I  see.  Near  this  little  table.  You  can  come  in  now.  I 
have  finished  with  the  carpet.  Let  us  take  the  little  table  first. 
Of  course,  what  has  happened  is  very  clear.  The  man  en- 
tered and  took  the  papers,  sheet  by  sheet,  from  the  central  table. 
He  carried  them  over  to  the  window  table,  because  from  there 
he  could  see  if  you  came  across  the  courtyard,  and  so  could 
effect  an  escape." 

"  As  a  matter  of  fact  he  could  not,"  said  Soames,  "  for  I 
entered  by  the  side  door." 

"Ah,  that's  good!  Well,  anyhow,  that  was  in  his  mind. 
Let  me  see  the  three  strips.  No  finger  impressions  —  no! 
Well,  he  carried  over  this  one  first,  and  he  copied  it.  How 
long  would  it  take  him  to  do  that,  using  every  possible  contrac- 
tion ?  A  quarter  of  an  hour,  not  less.  Then  he  tossed  it  down 
and  seized  the  next.  He  was  in  the  midst  of  that  when  your 
return  caused  him  to  make  a  very  hurried  retreat  —  very  hur- 
ried, since  he  had  not  time  to  replace  the  papers  which  would 
tell  you  that  he  had  been  there.  You  were  not  aware  of  any 
hurrying  feet  on  the  stair  as  you  entered  the  outer  door  ?  " 

"  No,  I  can't  say  I  was." 

"  Well,  he  wrote  so  furiously  that  he  broke  his  pencil,  and 
had,  as  you  observe,  to  sharpen  it  again.  This  is  of  interest, 
Watson.  The  pencil  was  not  an  ordinary  one.  It  was  above 


244  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  usual  size,  with  a  soft  lead,  the  outer  colour  was  dark  blue, 
the  maker's  name  was  printed  in  silver  lettering,  and  the  piece 
remaining  is  only  about  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  Look  for 
such  a  pencil,  Mr.  Soames,  and  you  have  got  your  man.  When 
I  add  that  he  possesses  a  large  and  very  blunt  knife,  you  have 
an  additional  aid." 

Mr.  Soames  was  somewhat  overwhelmed  by  this  flood  of 
information.  "I  can  follow  the  other  points,"  said  he,  "but 
really,  in  this  matter  of  the  length  —  " 

Holmes  held  out  a  small  chip  with  the  letters  NN  and  a 
space  of  clear  wood  after  them. 

"You  see?" 

"  No,  I  fear  that  even  now  —  " 

"  Watson,  I  have  always  done  you  an  injustice.  There  are 
others.  What  could  this  NN  be  ?  It  is  at  the  end  of  a  word. 
You  are  aware  that  Johann  Faber  is  the  most  common  maker's 
name.  Is  it  not  clear  that  there  is  just  as  much  of  the  pencil 
left  as  usually  follows  the  Johann  ?  "  He  held  the  small  table 
sideways  to  the  electric  light.  "  I  was  hoping  that  if  the  paper 
on  which  he  wrote  was  thin,  some  trace  of  it  might  come  through 
Upon  this  polished  surface.  No,  I  see  nothing.  I  don't  think 
there  is  anything  more  to  be  learned  here.  Now  for  the  cen- 
tral table.  This  small  pellet  is,  I  presume,  the  black,  doughy 
mass  .you  spoke  of.  Roughly  pyramidal  in  shape  and  hol- 
lowed out,  I  perceive.  As  you  say,  there  appear  to  be  grains 
of  sawdust  in  it.  Dear  me,  this  is  very  interesting.  And  the 
cut  —  a  positive  tear,  I  see.  It  began  with  a  thin  scratch  and 
ended  in  a  jagged  hole.  I  am  much  indebted  to  you  for  direct- 
ing my  attention  to  this  case,  Mr.  Soames.  Where  does  that 
door  lead  to  ?  " 

"To  my  bedroom." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS  245 

"  Have  you  been  in  it  since  your  adventure  ?  " 

"  No,  I  came  straight  away  for  you." 

"I  should  like  to  have  a  glance  round.  What  a  charming, 
old-fashioned  room!  Perhaps  you  will  kindly  wait  a  minute, 
until  I  have  examined  the  floor.  No,  I  see  nothing.  What 
about  this  curtain?  You  hang  your  clothes  behind  it.  If 
anyone  were  forced  to  conceal  himself  in  this  room  he  must  do 
it  there,  since  the  bed  is  too  low  and  the  wardrobe  too  shallow. 
No  one  there,  I  suppose  ?  " 

As  Holmes  drew  the  curtain  I  was  aware,  from  some  little 
rigidity  and  alertness  of  his  attitude,  that  he  was  prepared 
for  an  emergency.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  drawn  curtain  dis- 
closed nothing  but  three  or  four  suits  of  clothes  hanging  from 
a  line  of  pegs.  Holmes  turned  away,  and  stooped  suddenly 
to  the  floor. 

"Halloa!    What's  this  ?"  said  he.  . ..      , 

It  was  a  small  pyramid  of  black,  putty-like  stuff,  exactly  like 
the  one  upon  the  table  of  the  study.  Holmes  held  it  out  on  his 
open  palm  in  the  glare  of  the  electric  light. 

"  Your  visitor  seems  to  have  left  traces  in  your  bedroom  as 
well  as  in  your  sitting-room,  Mr.  Soames." 

"  What  could  he  have  wanted  there  ?  " 

"I  think  it  is  clear  enough.  You  came  back  by  an  unex- 
pected way,  and  so  he  had  no  warning  until  you  were  at  the  very 
door.  What  could  he  do?  He  caught  up  everything  which 
would  betray  him,  and  he  rushed  into  your  bedroom  to  conceal 
himself." 

"  Good  gracious,  Mr.  Holmes,  do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that, 
all  the  time  I  was  talking  to  Bannister  in  this  room,  we  had  the 
man  prisoner  if  we  had  only  known  it  ?  " 

"  So  I  read  it." 


246       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Surely  there  is  another  alternative,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  don't 
know  whether  you  observed  my  bedroom  window  ?  " 

"  Lattice-paned,  lead  framework,  three  separate  windows, 
one  swinging  on  hinge,  and  large  enough  to  admit  a  man." 

"Exactly.  And  it  looks  out  on  an  angle  of  the  courtyard 
so  as  to  be  partly  invisible.  The  man  might  have  effected  his 
entrance  there,  left  traces  as  he  passed  through  the  bedroom, 
and  finally,  finding  the  door  open,  have  escaped  that  way." 

Holmes  shook  his  head  impatiently. 

"  Let  us  be  practical,"  said  he.  "  I  understand  you  to  say 
that  there  are  three  students  who  use  this  stair,  and  are  in  the 
habit  of  passing  your  door  ?  " 

"Yes,  there  are." 

"  And  they  are  all  in  for  this  examination  ? ' 

"Yes." 

"  Have  you  any  reason  to  suspect  any  one  of  them  more  than 
the  others?" 

Soames  hesitated. 

"  It  is  a  very  delicate  question,"  said  he.  "  One  hardly  likes 
to  throw  suspicion  where  there  are  no  proofs." 

"  Let  us  hear  the  suspicions.     I  will  look  after  the  proofs." 

"I  will  tell  you,  then,  in  a  few  words  the  character  of  the 
three  men  who  inhabit  these  rooms.  The  lower  of  the  three 
is  Gilchrist,  a  fine  scholar  and  athlete,  plays  in  the  Rugby  team 
and  the  cricket  team  for  the  college,  and  got  his  Blue  for  the 
hurdles  and  the  long  jump.  He  is  a  fine,  manly  fellow.  His 
father  was  the  notorious  Sir  Jabez  Gilchrist,  who  ruined  him- 
self on  the  turf.  My  scholar  has  been  left  very  poor,  but  he 
is  hard-working  and  industrious.  He  will  do  well. 

"  The  second  floor  is  inhabited  by  Daulat  Ras,  the  Indian. 
He  is  a  quiet,  inscrutable  fellow,  as  most  of  those  Indians  are. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS    247 

He  is  well  up  in  his  work,  though  his  Greek  is  his  weak  subject. 
He  is  steady  and  methodical. 

"  The  top  floor  belongs  to  Miles  McLaren.  He  is  a  brilliant 
fellow  when  he  chooses  to  work  —  one  of  the  brightest  intellects 
of  the  university;  but  he  is  wayward,  dissipated,  and  unprin- 
cipled. He  was  nearly  expelled  over  a  card  scandal  in  his 
first  year.  He  has  been  idling  all  this  term,  and  he  must  look 
forward  with  dread  to  the  examination." 

"  Then  it  is  he  whom  you  suspect  ?  " 

"  I  dare  not  go  so  far  as  that.  But,  of  the  three,  he  is  perhaps 
the  least  unlikely." 

"Exactly.  Now,  Mr.  Soames,  let  us  have  a  look  at  your 
servant,  Bannister." 

He  was  a  little,  white-faced,  clean-shaven,  grizzly  haired 
fellow  of  fifty.  He  was  still  suffering  from  this  sudden  disturb- 
ance of  the  quiet  routine  of  his  life.  His  plump  face  was 
twitching  with  his  nervousness,  and  his  fingers  could  not  keep 
still. 

"We  are  investigating  this  unhappy  business,  Bannister," 
said  his  master. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"I  understand,"  said  Holmes,  "that  you  left  your  key  in 
the  door?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Was  it  not  very  extraordinary  that  you  should  do  this  on  the 
very  day  when  there  were  these  papers  inside  ?  " 

"  It  was  most  unfortunate,  sir.  But  I  have  occasionally  done 
the  same  thing  at  other  times." 

"  When  did  you  enter  the  room  ?  " 

"  It  was  about  half -past  four.    That  is  Mr.  Soames'  tea  time." 

"  How  long  did  you  stay  ? " 


248       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  When  I  saw  that  he  was  absent,  I  withdrew  at  once." 

"  Did  you  look  at  these  papers  on  the  table  ?  " 

"  No,  sir  —  certainly  not." 

"  How  came  you  to  leave  the  key  in  the  door  ?  " 

"  I  had  the  tea-tray  in  my  hand.  I  thought  I  would  come 
back  for  the  key.  Then  I  forgot." 

"  Has  the  outer  door  a  spring  lock  ?  " 

"No,  sir." 

"  Then  it  was  open  all  the  time  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Anyone  in  the  room  could  get  out  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  When  Mr.  Soames  returned  and  called  for  you,  you  were 
very  much  disturbed  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir.  Such  a  thing  has  never  happened  during  the 
many  years  that  I  have  been  here.  I  nearly  fainted,  sir." 

"So  I  understand.  Where  were  you  when  you  began  to 
feel  bad?" 

"  Where  was  I,  sir  ?     Why,  here,  near  the  door." 

"That  is  singular,  because  you  sat  down  in  that  chair  over 
yonder  near  the  corner.  Why  did  you  pass  these  other  chairs  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  sir,  it  didn't  matter  to  me  where  I  sat." 

"  I  really  don't  think  he  knew  much  about  it,  Mr.  Holmes. 
He  was  looking  very  bad  —  quite  ghastly." 

"  You  stayed  here  when  your  master  left  ?  " 

"  Only  for  a  minute  or  so.  Then  I  locked  the  door  and  went 
to  my  room." 

"  Whom  do  you  suspect  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  would  not  venture  to  say,  sir.  I  don't  believe  there 
is  any  gentleman  in  this  university  who  is  capable  of  profiting 
by  such  an  action.  No,  sir,  I'll  not  believe  it." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS          249 

"Thank  you,  that  will  do,"  said  Holmes.  "Oh,  one  more 
word.  You  have  not  mentioned  to  any  of  the  three  gentlemen 
whom  you  attend  that  anything  is  amiss  ?  " 

"  No,  sir  —  not  a  word." 

"  You  haven't  seen  any  of  them  ?  " 

"No,  sir." 

"  Very  good.  Now,  Mr.  Soames,  we  will  take  a  walk  in  the 
quadrangle,  if  you  please." 

Three  yellow  squares  of  light  shone  above  us  in  the  gather- 
ing gloom. 

"Your  three  birds  are  all  in  their  nests,"  said  Holmes,  look- 
ing up.  "  Halloa!  What's  that  ?  One  of  them  seems  restless 
enough." 

It  was  the  Indian,  whose  dark  silhouette  appeared  suddenly 
upon  his  blind.  He  was  pacing  swiftly  up  and  down  his  room. 

"  I  should  like  to  have  a  peep  at  each  of  them,"  said  Holmes. 
"  Is  it  possible  ?  " 

"  No  difficulty  in  the  world,"  Soames  answered.  "  This  set 
of  rooms  is  quite  the  oldest  in  the  college,  and  it  is  not  unusual 
for  visitors  to  go  over  them.  Come  along,  and  I  will  person- 
ally conduct  you." 

"No  names,  please!"  said  Holmes,  as  we  knocked  at  Gil- 
christ's  door.  A  tall,  flaxen-haired,  slim  young  fellow  opened 
it,  and  made  us  welcome  when  he  understood  our  errand. 
There  were  some  really  curious  pieces  of  mediaeval  domestic 
architecture  within.  Holmes  was  so  charmed  with  one  of  them 
that  he  insisted  on  drawing  it  in  his  note-book,  broke  his  pen- 
cil, had  to  borrow  one  from  our  host,  and  finally  borrowed 
a  knife  to  sharpen  his  own.  The  same  curious  accident  hap- 
pened to  him  in  the  rooms  of  the  Indian  —  a  silent,  little, 
hook-nosed  fellow,  who  eyed  us  askance,  and  was  obviously 


250       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

glad  when  Holmes'  architectural  studies  had  come  to  an  end. 
I  could  not  see  that  in  either  case  Holmes  had  come  upon  the 
clue  for  which  he  was  searching.  Only  at  the  third  did 
our  visit  prove  abortive.  The  outer  door  would  not  open  to 
our  knock,  and  nothing  more  substantial  than  a  torrent  of  bad 
language  came  from  behind  it.  "  I  don't  care  who  you  are. 
You  can  go  to  blazes ! "  roared  the  angry  voice.  "  To-morrow's 
the  exam,  and  I  won't  be  drawn  by  anyone." 

"  A  rude  fellow,"  said  our  guide,  flushing  with  anger  as  we 
withdrew  down  the  stair.  "  Of  course,  he  did  not  realize  that 
it  was  I  who  was  knocking,  but  none  the  less  his  conduct  was 
very  uncourteous,  and,  indeed,  under  the  circumstances  rather 
suspicious." 

Holmes'  response  was  a  curious  one. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  his  exact  height  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Really,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  cannot  undertake  to  say.  He  is 
taller  than  the  Indian,  not  so  tall  as  Gilchrist.  I  suppose 
five  foot  six  would  be  about  it." 

"That  is  very  important,"  said  Holmes.  "And  now,  Mr. 
Soames,  I  wish  you  good-night." 

Our  guide  cried  aloud  in  his  astonishment  and  dismay. 
"  Good  gracious,  Mr.  Holmes,  you  are  surely  not  going  to  leave 
me  in  this  abrupt  fashion !  You  don't  seem  to  realize  the  posi- 
tion. To-morrow  is  the  examination.  I  must  take  some  defi- 
nite action  to-night.  I  cannot  allow  the  examination  to  be  held 
if  one  of  the  papers  has  been  tampered  with.  The  situation 
must  be  faced." 

"  You  must  leave  it  as  it  is.  I  shall  drop  round  early  to-mor- 
row morning,  and  chat  the  matter  over.  It  is  possible  that 
I  may  be  in  a  position  then  to  indicate  some  course  of  action. 
Meanwhile,  you  change  nothing  —  nothing  at  all." 


<;  ATHBRINQ    GLOOM 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS  251 

"Very good,  Mr.  Holmes." 

"You  can  be  perfectly  easy  in  your  mind.  We  shall  cer- 
tainly find  some  way  out  of  your  difficulties.  I  will  take  the 
black  clay  with  me,  also  the  pencil  cuttings.  Good-bye." 

When  we  were  out  in  the  darkness  of  the  quadrangle,  we 
again  looked  up  at  the  windows.  The  Indian  still  paced  his 
room.  The  others  were  invisible. 

"  Well,  Watson,  what  do  you  think  of  it  ?  "  Holmes  asked,  as 
we  came  out  into  the  main  street.  "Quite  a  little  parlour 
game  —  sort  of  three-card  trick,  is  it  not  ?  There  are  your 
three  men.  It  must  be  one  of  them.  You  take  your  choice. 
Which  is  yours?" 

"The  foul-mouthed  fellow  at  the  top.  He  is  the  one  with 
the  worst  record.  And  yet  that  Indian  was  a  sly  fellow  also. 
Why  should  he  be  pacing  his  room  all  the  time  ?  " 

"  There  is  nothing  in  that.  Many  men  do  it  when  they  are 
trying  to  learn  anything  by  heart." 

"  He  looked  at  us  in  a  queer  way." 

"  So  would  you,  if  a  flock  of  strangers  came  in  on  you  when 
you  were  preparing  for  an  examination  next  day,  and  every 
moment  was  of  value.  No,  I  see  nothing  in  that.  Pencils, 
too,  and  knives  —  all  was  satisfactory.  But  that  fellow  does 
puzzle  me." 

"Who?" 

"Why,  Bannister,  the  servant.  What's  his  game  in  the 
matter  ?  " 

"He  impressed  me  as  being  a  perfectly  honest  man." 

"So  he  did  me.  That's  the  puzzling  part.  Why  should  a 
perfectly  honest  man  —  well,  well,  here's  a  large  stationer's. 
We  shall  begin  our  researches  here." 

There  were  only  four  stationers  of  any  consequence  in  the 


252       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

town,  and  at  each  Holmes  produced  his  pencil  chips,  and  bid 
high  for  a  duplicate.  All  were  agreed  that  one  could  be  ordered, 
but  that  it  was  not  a  usual  size  of  pencil,  and  that  it  was  sel- 
dom kept  in  stock.  My  friend  did  not  appear  to  be  depressed 
by  his  failure,  but  shrugged  his  shoulders  in  half-humorous 
resignation. 

"  No  good,  my  dear  Watson.  This,  the  best  and  only  final 
clue,  has  run  to  nothing.  But,  indeed,  I  have  little  doubt  that 
we  can  build  up  a  sufficient  case  without  it.  By  Jove!  my 
dear  fellow,  it  is  nearly  nine,  and  the  landlady  babbled  of  green 
peas  at  seven-thirty.  What  with  your  eternal  tobacco,  Watson, 
and  your  irregularity  at  meals,  I  expect  that  you  will  get  notice 
to  quit,  and  that  I  shall  share  your  downfall  —  not,  however, 
before  we  have  solved  the  problem  of  the  nervous  tutor,  the 
careless  servant,  and  the  three  enterprising  students." 

Holmes  made  no  further  allusion  to  the  matter  that  day, 
though  he  sat  lost  in  thought  for  a  long  time  after  our  belated 
dinner.  At  eight  in  the  morning,  he  came  into  my  room  just 
as  I  finished  my  toilet. 

"Well,  Watson,"  said  he,  "it  is  time  we  went  down  to  St. 
Luke's.  Can  you  do  without  breakfast  ?  " 

"Certainly." 

"  Soames  will  be  in  a  dreadful  fidget  until  we  are  able  to  tell 
him  something  positive." 

"  Have  you  anything  positive  to  tell  him  ?  " 

"I  think  so." 

"  You  have  formed  a  conclusion  ?  " 

"Yes,  my  dear  Watson,  I  have  solved  the  mystery." 

"  But  what  fresh  evidence  could  you  have  got  ?  " 

"  Aha !  It  is  not  for  nothing  that  I  have  turned  myself  out 
of  bed  at  the  untimely  hour  of  six.  I  have  put  in  two  hours' 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS          253 

hard  work  and  covered  at  least  five  miles,  with  something  to 
show  for  it.  Look  at  that ! " 

He  held  out  his  hand.  On  the  palm  were  three  little  pyra- 
mids of  black,  doughy  clay. 

"  Why,  Holmes,  you  had  only  two  yesterday. " 

"And  one  more  this  morning.  It  is  a  fair  argument  that 
wherever  No.  3  came  from  is  also  the  source  of  Nos.  1  and  2. 
Eh,  Watson?  Well,  come  along  and  put  friend  Soames  out 
of  his  pain." 

The  unfortunate  tutor  was  certainly  in  a  state  of  pitiable 
agitation  when  we  found  him  in  his  chambers.  In  a  few  hours 
the  examination  would  commence,  and  he  was  still  in  the 
dilemma  between  making  the  facts  public  and  allowing  the 
culprit  to  compete  for  the  valuable  scholarship.  He  could 
hardly  stand  still,  so  great  was  his  mental  agitation,  and  he 
ran  towards  Holmes  with  two  eager  hands  outstretched. 

"  Thank  Heaven,  that  you  have  come !  I  feared  that  you 
had  given  it  up  in  despair.  What  am  I  to  do?  Shall  the 
examination  proceed  ?  " 

"  Yes,  let  it  proceed,  by  all  means." 

"  But  this  rascal  — ?" 

"  He  shall  not  compete." 

"You  know  him?" 

"  I  think  so.  If  this  matter  is  not  to  become  public,  we  must 
give  ourselves  certain  powers,  and  resolve  ourselves  into  a 
small  private  court-martial.  You  there,  if  you  please,  Soames ! 
Watson,  you  here!  I'll  take  the  armchair  in  the  middle.  I 
think  that  we  are  now  sufficiently  imposing  to  strike  terror 
into  a  guilty  breast.  Kindly  ring  the  bell ! " 

Bannister  entered,  and  shrank  back  in  evident  surprise  and 
fear  at  our  judicial  appearance. 


254  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"You  will  kindly  close  the  door,"  said  Holmes.  "Now, 
Bannister,  will  you  please  tell  us  the  truth  about  yesterday's 
incident  ?  " 

The  man  turned  white  to  the  roots  of  his  hair. 

"I  have  told  you  everything,  sir." 

"Nothing  to  add?" 

"Nothing  at  all,  sir." 

"  Well,  then,  I  must  make  some  suggestions  to  you.  When 
you  sat  down  on  that  chair  yesterday,  did  you  do  so  in  order 
to  conceal  some  object  which  would  have  shown  who  had  been 
in  the  room  ?  " 

Bannister's  face  was  ghastly. 

"  No,  sir,  certainly  not." 

"  It  is  only  a  suggestion,"  said  Holmes,  suavely.  "  I  frankly 
admit  that  I  am  unable  to  prove  it.  But  it  seems  probable 
enough,  since  the  moment  that  Mr.  Soames'  back  was  turned, 
you  released  the  man  who  was  hiding  in  that  bedroom." 

Bannister  licked  his  dry  lips. 

"There  was  no  man,  sir." 

"Ah,  that's  a  pity,  Bannister.  Up  to  now  you  may  have 
spoken  the  truth,  but  now  I  know  that  you  have  lied." 

The  man's  face  set  in  sullen  defiance. 

"There  was  no  man,  sir." 

"Come,  come,  Bannister!" 

"  No,  sir,  there  was  no  one." 

"  In  that  case,  you  can  give  us  no  further  information.  Would 
you  please  remain  in  the  room.  Stand  over  there  near  the 
bedroom  door.  Now,  Soames,  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  have 
the  great  kindness  to  go  up  to  the  room  of  young  Gilchrist, 
and  to  ask  him  to  step  down  into  yours." 

An  instant  later  the  tutor  returned,  bringing  with  him  the 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS    255 

student.  He  was  a  fine  figure  of  a  man,  tall,  lithe,  and  agile, 
with  a  springy  step  and  a  pleasant,  open  face.  His  troubled 
blue  eyes  glanced  at  each  of  us,  and  finally  rested  with  an 
expression  of  blank  dismay  upon  Bannister  in  the  farther 
corner. 

"Just  close  the  door,"  said  Holmes.  "Now,  Mr.  Gilchrist, 
we  are  all  quite  alone  here,  and  no  one  need  ever  know  one 
word  of  what  passes  between  us.  We  can  be  perfectly  frank 
with  each  other.  We  want  to  know,  Mr.  Gilchrist,  how  you, 
an  honourable  man,  ever  came  to  commit  such  an  action  as 
that  of  yesterday  ?  " 

The  unfortunate  young  man  staggered  back,  and  cast  a  look 
full  of  horror  and  reproach  at  Bannister. 

"  No,  no,  Mr.  Gilchrist,  sir,  I  never  said  a  word  —  never 
one  word ! "  cried  the  servant. 

"No,  but  you  have  now,"  said  Holmes.  "Now,  sir,  you 
must  see  that  after  Bannister's  words  your  position  is  hopeless, 
and  that  your  only  chance  lies  in  a  frank  confession." 

For  a  moment  Gilchrist,  with  upraised  hand,  tried  to  control 
his  writhing  features.  The  next  he  had  thrown  himself  on 
his  knees  beside  the  table,  and  burying  his  face  in  his  hands, 
he  had  burst  into  a  storm  of  passionate  sobbing. 

"Come,  come,"  said  Holmes,  kindly,  "it  is  human  to  err, 
and  at  least  no  one  can  accuse  you  of  being  a  callous  criminal. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  easier  for  you  if  I  were  to  tell  Mr.  Soames 
what  occurred,  and  you  can  check  me  where  I  am  wrong. 
Shall  I  do  so  ?  Well,  well,  don't  trouble  to  answer.  Listen, 
and  see  that  I  do  you  no  injustice. " 

"From  the  moment,  Mr.  Soames,  that  you  said  to  me  that 
no  one,  not  even  Bannister,  could  have  told  that  the  papers 
were  in  your  room,  the  case  began  to  take  a  definite  shape  in 


256       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

my  mind.  The  printer  one  could,  of  course,  dismiss.  He 
could  examine  the  papers  in  his  own  office.  The  Indian  I 
also  thought  nothing  of.  If  the  proofs  were  in  roll,  he  could 
not  possibly  know  what  they  were.  On  the  other  hand,  it 
seemed  an  unthinkable  coincidence  that  a  man  should  dare  to 
enter  the  room,  and  that  by  chance  on  that  very  day  the  papers 
were  on  the  table.  I  dismissed  that.  The  man  who  entered 
knew  that  the  papers  were  there.  How  did  he  know  ? 

"When  I  approached  your  room,  I  examined  the  window. 
You  amused  me  by  supposing  that  I  was  contemplating  the 
possibility  of  someone  having  in  broad  daylight,  under  the 
eyes  of  all  these  opposite  rooms,  forced  himself  through  it. 
Such  an  idea  was  absurd.  I  was  measuring  how  tall  a  man 
would  need  to  be  in  order  to  see,  as  he  passed,  what  papers 
were  on  the  central  table.  I  am  six  feet  high,  and  I  could  do 
it  with  an  effort.  No  one  less  than  that  would  have  a  chance. 
Already  you  see  I  had  reason  to  think  that,  if  one  of  your  three 
students  was  a  man  of  unusual  height,  he  was  the  most  worth 
watching  of  the  three. 

"  I  entered,  and  I  took  you  into  my  confidence  as  to  the  sug- 
gestions of  the  side  table.  Of  the  centre  table  I  could  make 
nothing,  until  in  your  description  of  Gilchrist  you  mentioned 
that  he  was  a  long-distance  jumper.  Then  the  whole  thing 
came  to  me  in  an  instant,  and  I  only  needed  certain  corrobo- 
rative proofs,  which  I  speedily  obtained. 

"What  happened  was  this.  This  young  fellow  had  em- 
ployed his  afternoon  at  the  athletic  grounds,  where  he  had 
been  practising  the  jump.  He  returned  carrying  his  jumping- 
shoes,  which  are  provided,  as  you  are  aware,  with  several  sharp 
spikes.  As  he  passed  your  window  he  saw,  by  means  of  his 
great  height,  these  proofs  upon  your  table,  and  conjectured 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS  257 

what  they  were.  No  harm  would  have  been  done  had  it  not 
been  that,  as  he  passed  your  door,  he  perceived  the  key  which 
had  been  left  by  the  carelessness  of  your  servant.  A  sudden 
impulse  came  over  him  to  enter,  and  see  if  they  were  indeed 
the  proofs.  It  was  not  a  dangerous  exploit,  for  he  could 
always  pretend  that  he  had  simply  looked  in  to  ask  a  question. 

"  Well,  when  he  saw  that  they  were  indeed  the  proofs,  it  was 
then  that  he  yielded  to  temptation.  He  put  his  shoes  on  the 
table.  What  was  it  you  put  on  that  chair  near  the  window  ?  " 

"  Gloves,"  said  the  young  man. 

Holmes  looked  triumphantly  at  Bannister.  "He  put  his 
gloves  on  the  chair,  and  he  took  the  proofs,  sheet  by  sheet,  to 
copy  them.  He  thought  the  tutor  must  return  by  the  main 
gate,  and  that  he  would  see  him.  As  we  know,  he  came  back 
by  the  side  gate.  Suddenly  he  heard  him  at  the  very  door. 
There  was  no  possible  escape.  He  forgot  his  gloves,  but  he 
caught  up  his  shoes  and  darted  into  the  bedroom.  You  ob- 
serve that  the  scratch  on  that  table  is  slight  at  one  side,  but 
deepens  in  the  direction  of  the  bedroom  door.  That  in  itself 
is  enough  to  show  us  that  the  shoe  had  been  drawn  in  that 
direction,  and  that  the  culprit  had  taken  refuge  there.  The 
earth  round  the  spike  had  been  left  on  the  table,  and  a  second 
sample  was  loosened  and  fell  in  the  bedroom.  I  may  add  that 
I  walked  out  to  the  athletic  grounds  this  morning,  saw  that 
tenacious  black  clay  is  used  in  the  jumping-pit,  and  carried 
away  a  specimen  of  it,  together  with  some  of  the  fine  tan  or 
sawdust  which  is  strewn  over  it  to  prevent  the  athlete  from 
slipping.  Have  I  told  the  truth,  Mr.  Gilchrist  ?  " 

The  student  had  drawn  himself  erect. 

"Yes,  sir,  it  is  true,"  said  he. 

"  Good  Heavens !  have  you  nothing  to  add  ?  "  cried  Soames. 


258  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  have,  but  the  shock  of  this  disgraceful  exposure 
has  bewildered  me.  I  have  a  letter  here,  Mr.  Soames,  which 
I  wrote  to  you  early  this  morning  in  the  middle  of  a  restless 
night.  It  was  before  I  knew  that  my  sin  had  found  me  out. 
Here  it  is,  sir.  You  will  see  that  I  have  said,  '  I  have  deter- 
mined not  to  go  in  for  the  examination.  I  have  been  offered 
a  commission  in  the  Rhodesian  Police,  and  I  am  going  out  to 
South  Africa  at  once.' " 

"I  am  indeed  pleased  to  hear  that  you  did  not  intend  to 
profit  by  your  unfair  advantage,"  said  Soames.  "But  why 
did  you  change  your  purpose?" 

Gilchrist  pointed  to  Bannister. 

"  There  is  the  man  who  set  me  in  the  right  path,"  said  he. 

"Come  now,  Bannister,"  said  Holmes.  "It  will  be  clear 
to  you,  from  what  I  have  said,  that  only  you  could  have  let  this 
young  man  out,  since  you  were  left  in  the  room,  and  must 
have  locked  the  door  when  you  went  out.  As  to  his  escap- 
ing by  that  window,  it  was  incredible.  Can  you  not  clear 
up  the  last  point  in  this  mystery,  and  tell  us  the  reasons  for 
your  action?" 

"  It  was  simple  enough,  sir,  if  you  only  had  known,  but,  with 
all  your  cleverness,  it  was  impossible  that  you  could  know. 
Time  was,  sir,  when  I  was  butler  to  old  Sir  Jabez  Gilchrist, 
this  young  gentleman's  father.  When  he  was  ruined  I  came 
to  the  college  as  servant,  but  I  never  forgot  my  old  employer 
because  he  was  down  in  the  world.  I  watched  his  son  all  I 
could  for  the  sake  of  the  old  days.  Well,  sir,  when  I  came 
into  this  room  yesterday,  when  the  alarm  was  given,  the  very 
first  thing  I  saw  was  Mr.  Gilchrist's  tan  gloves  a-lying  in  that 
chair.  I  knew  those  gloves  well,  and  I  understood  their  mes- 
sage. If  Mr.  Soames  saw  them,  the  game  was  up.  I  flopped 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  THREE  STUDENTS    259 

down  into  that  chair,  and  nothing  would  budge  me  until  Mr. 
Soames  he  went  for  you.  Then  out  came  my  poor  young 
master,  whom  I  had  dandled  on  my  knee,  and  confessed  it  all 
to  me.  Wasn't  it  natural,  sir,  that  I  should  save  him,  and 
wasn't  it  natural  also  that  I  should  try  to  speak  to  him  as  his 
dead  father  would  have  done,  and  make  him  understand  that 
he  could  not  profit  by  such  a  deed  ?  Could  you  blame  me,  sir  ?  " 
"No,  indeed,"  said  Holmes,  heartily,  springing  to  his  feet. 
"  Well,  Soames,  I  think  we  have  cleared  your  little  problem  up, 
and  our  breakfast  awaits  us  at  home.  Come,  Watson!  As 
to  you,  sir,  I  trust  that  a  bright  future  awaits  you  in  Rhodesia. 
For  once  you  have  fallen  low.  Let  us  see,  in  the  future,  how 
high  you  can  rise." 


X 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ 

WHEN  I  look  at  the  three  massive  manuscript  volumes 
which  contain  our  work  for  the  year  1894, 1  confess  that  it  is  very 
difficult  for  me,  out  of  such  a  wealth  of  material,  to  select  the 
cases  which  are  most  interesting  in  themselves,  and  at  the  same 
time  most  conducive  to  a  display  of  those  peculiar  powers  for 
which  my  friend  was  famous.  As  I  turn  over  the  pages,  I  see 
my  notes  upon  the  repulsive  story  of  the  red  leech  and  the  ter- 
rible death  of  Crosby,  the  banker.  Here  also  I  find  an  account 
of  the  Addleton  tragedy,  and  the  singular  contents  of  the 
ancient  British  barrow.  The  famous  Smith-Mortimer  suc- 
cession case  comes  also  within  this  period,  and  so  does  the 
tracking  and  arrest  of  Huret,  the  Boulevard  assassin  —  an 
exploit  which  won  for  Holmes  an  autograph  letter  of  thanks 
from  the  French  President  and  the  Order  of  the  Legion  of 
Honour.  Each  of  these  would  furnish  a  narrative,  but  on  the 
whole  I  am  of  opinion  that  none  of  them  unites  so  many  sin- 
gular points  of  interest  as  the  episode  of  Yoxley  Old  Place, 
which  includes  not  only  the  lamentable  death  of  young  Wil- 
loughby  Smith,  but  also  those  subsequent  developments  which 
threw  so  curious  a  light  upon  the  causes  of  the  crime. 


262  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

It  was  a  wild,  tempestuous  night,  towards  the  close  of  Novem- 
ber. Holmes  and  I  sat  together  in  silence  all  the  evening,  he 
engaged  with  a  powerful  lens  deciphering  the  remains  of  the 
original  inscription  upon  a  palimpsest,  I  deep  in  a  recent  treatise 
upon  surgery.  Outside  the  wind  howled  down  Baker  Street, 
while  the  rain  beat  fiercely  against  the  windows.  It  was  strange 
there,  in  the  very  depths  of  the  town,  with  ten  miles  of  man's 
handiwork  on  every  side  of  us,  to  feel  the  iron  grip  of  Nature, 
and  to  be  conscious  that  to  the  huge  elemental  forces  all  London 
was  no  more  than  the  molehills  that  dot  the  fields.  I  walked  to 
the  window,  and  looked  out  on  the  deserted  street.  The  occa- 
sional lamps  gleamed  on  the  expanse  of  muddy  road  and  shining 
pavement.  A  single  cab  was  splashing  its  way  from  the  Oxford 
Street  end. 

"  Well,  Watson,  it's  as  well  we  have  not  to  turn  out  to-night," 
said  Holmes,  laying  aside  his  lens  and  rolling  up  the  palimpsest. 
"  I've  done  enough  for  one  sitting.  It  is  trying  work  for  the 
eyes.  So  far  as  I  can  make  out,  it  is  nothing  more  exciting  than 
an  Abbey's  accounts  dating  from  the  second  half  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  Halloa !  halloa !  halloa !  What's  this  ?  " 

Amid  the  droning  of  the  wind  there  had  come  the  stamping  of 
a  horse's  hoofs,  and  the  long  grind  of  a  wheel  as  it  rasped  against 
the  kerb.  The  cab  which  I  had  seen  had  pulled  up  at  our  door. 

"  What  can  he  want  ?  "  I  ejaculated,  as  a  man  stepped  out 
of  it. 

"  Want  ?  He  wants  us.  And  we,  my  poor  Watson,  want  over- 
coats and  cravats  and  goloshes,  and  every  aid  that  man  ever  in- 
vented to  fight  the  weather.  Wait  a  bit,  though!  There's  the 
cab  off  again !  There's  hope  yet.  He'd  have  kept  it  if  he  had 
wanted  us  to  come.  Run  down,  my  dear  fellow,  and  open  the 
door,  for  all  virtuous  folk  have  been  long  in  bed.  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ         263 

When  the  light  of  the  hall  lamp  fell  upon  our  midnight  visi- 
tor, I  had  no  difficulty  in  recognising  him.  It  was  young 
Stanley  Hopkins,  a  promising  detective,  in  whose  career  Holmes 
had  several  times  shown  a  very  practical  interest. 

"  Is  he  in  ?  "  he  asked,  eagerly. 

"  Come  up,  my  dear  sir, "  said  Holmes'  voice  from  above.  "I 
hope  you  have  no  designs  upon  us  such  a  night  as  this. " 

The  detective  mounted  the  stairs,  and  our  lamp  gleamed  upon 
his  shining  waterproof.  I  helped  him  out  of  it,  while  Holmes 
knocked  a  blaze  out  of  the  logs  in  the  grate. 

"Now,  my  dear  Hopkins,  draw  up  and  warm  your  toes," 
said  he.  "  Here's  a  cigar,  and  the  doctor  has  a  prescription  con- 
taining hot  water  and  a  lemon,  which  is  good  medicine  on  a  night 
like  this.  It  must  be  something  important  which  has  brought 
you  out  in  such  a  gale." 

"  It  is  indeed,  Mr.  Holmes.  I've  had  a  bustling  afternoon,  I 
promise  you.  Did  you  see  anything  of  the  Yoxley  case  in  the 
latest  editions  ?  " 

"  I've  seen  nothing  later  than  the  fifteenth  century  to-day." 

"  Well,  it  was  only  a  paragraph,  and  all  wrong  at  that,  so  you 
have  not  missed  anything.  I  haven't  let  the  grass  grow  under 
my  feet.  It's  down  in  Kent,  seven  miles  from  Chatham  and 
three  from  the  railway  line.  I  was  wired  for  at  three-fifteen, 
reached  Yoxley  Old  Place  at  five,  conducted  my  investigation, 
was  back  at  Charing  Cross  by  the  last  train,  and  straight  to  you 
by  cab." 

"  Which  means,  I  suppose,  that  you  are  not  quite  clear  about 
your  case?" 

"  It  means  that  I  can  make  neither  head  nor  tail  of  it.  So  far 
as  I  can  see,it  is  just  as  tangled  a  business  as  ever  I  handled,  and 
yet  at  first,  it  seemed  so  simple  that  one  couldn't  go  wrong. 


264  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

There's  no  motive,  Mr.  Holmes.  That's  what  bothers  me  —  I 
can't  put  my  hand  on  a  motive.  Here's  a  man  dead  —  there's 
no  denying  that  —  but,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  no  reason  on  earth 
why  anyone  should  wish  him  harm. " 

Holmes  lit  his  cigar  and  leaned  back  in  his  chair. 

"  Let  us  hear  about  it, "  said  he. 

"  I've  got  my  facts  pretty  clear, "  said  Stanley  Hopkins.  "  All 
I  want  now  is  to  know  what  they  all  mean.  The  story,  so  far  as 
I  can  make  it  out,  is  like  this.  Some  years  ago  this  country 
house,  Yoxley  Old  Place,  was  taken  by  an  elderly  man,  who 
gave  the  name  of  Professor  Coram.  He  was  an  invalid,  keeping 
his  bed  hah*  the  time,  and  the  other  hah*  hobbling  round  the 
house  with  a  stick  or  being  pushed  about  the  grounds  by  the 
gardener  in  a  bath-chair.  He  was  well-liked  by  the  few  neigh- 
bours who  called  upon  him,  and  he  has  the  reputation  down 
there  of  being  a  very  learned  man.  His  household  used  to  con- 
sist of  an  elderly  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Marker,  and  of  a  maid,  Su- 
san Tarlton.  These  have  both  been  with  him  since  his  arrival, 
and  they  seem  to  be  women  of  excellent  character.  The  Pro- 
fessor is  writing  a  learned  book,  and  he  found  it  necessary,  about 
a  year  ago,  to  engage  a  secretary.  The  first  two  that  he  tried 
were  not  successes,  but  the  third,  Mr.  Willoughby  Smith,  a  very 
young  man  straight  from  the  University,  seems  to  have  been 
just  what  his  employer  wanted.  His  work  consisted  in  writing 
all  the  morning  to  the  Professor's  dictation,  and  he  usually  spent 
the  evening  in  hunting  up  references  and  passages  which  bore 
upon  the  next  day's  work.  This  Willoughby  Smith  has  noth- 
ing against  him,  either  as  a  boy  at  Uppingham  or  as  a  young 
man  at  Cambridge.  I  have  seen  his  testimonials,  and  from  the 
first  he  was  a  decent,  quiet,  hardworking  fellow,  with  no  weak 
spot  in  him  at  all.  And  yet  this  is  the  lad  who  has  met  his  death 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ         265 

this  morning  in  the  Professor's  study  under  circumstances 
which  can  point  only  to  murder. " 

The  wind  howled  and  screamed  at  the  windows.  Holmes 
and  I  drew  closer  to  the  fire,  while  the  young  inspector  slowly 
and  point  by  point  developed  his  singular  narrative. 

"  If  you  were  to  search  all  England, "  said  he,  "  I  don't  sup- 
pose you  could  find  a  household  more  self-contained  or  freer 
from  outside  influences.  Whole  weeks  would  pass,  and  not  one 
of  them  go  past  the  garden  gate.  The  Professor  was  buried  in 
his  work  and  existed  for  nothing  else.  Young  Smith  knew  no- 
body in  the  neighbourhood,  and  lived  very  much  as  his  employ- 
er did.  The  two  women  had  nothing  to  take  them  from  the 
house.  Mortimer,  the  gardener,  who  wheels  the  bath-chair,  is 
an  army  pensioner  —  an  old  Crimean  man  of  excellent  charac- 
ter. He  does  not  live  in  the  house,  but  in  a  three-roomed  cot- 
tage at  the  other  end  of  the  garden.  Those  are  the  only  people 
that  you  would  find  within  the  grounds  of  Yoxley  Old  Place. 
At  the  same  time,  the  gate  of  the  garden  is  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  main  London  to  Chatham  road.  It  opens  with  a  latch,  and 
there  is  nothing  to  prevent  anyone  from  walking  in. 

"  Now  I  will  give  you  the  evidence  of  Susan  Tarlton,  who  is 
the  only  person  who  can  say  anything  positive  about  the  matter. 
It  was  in  the  forenoon,  between  eleven  and  twelve.  She  was 
engaged  at  the  moment  in  hanging  some  curtains  in  the  upstairs 
front  bedroom.  Professor  Coram  was  still  in  bed,  for  when  the 
weather  is  bad  he  seldom  rises  before  midday.  The  house- 
keeper was  busied  with  some  work  in  the  back  of  the  house. 
Willoughby  Smith  had  been  in  his  bedroom,  which  he  uses  as 
a  sitting-roonc ,  but  the  maid  heard  him  at  that  moment  pass 
along  the  passage  and  descend  to  the  study  immediately  below 
her.  She  did  not  see  him,  but  she  says  that  she  could  not  be 


266  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

mistaken  in  his  quick,  firm  tread.  She  did  not  hear  the  study 
door  close,  but  a  minute  or  so  later  there  was  a  dreadful  cry  in 
the  room  below.  It  was  a  wild,  hoarse  scream,  so  strange  and 
unnatural  that  it  might  have  come  either  from  a  man  or  a  wo- 
man. At  the  same  instant  there  was  a  heavy  thud,  which  shook 
the  old  house,  and  then  all  was  silence.  The  maid  stood  petri- 
fied for  a  moment,  and  then,  recovering  her  courage,  she  ran 
downstairs.  The  study  door  was  shut  and  she  opened  it.  In- 
side, young  Mr.  Willoughby  Smith  was  stretched  upon  the  floor. 
At  first  she  could  see  no  injury,  but  as  she  tried  to  raise  him  she 
saw  that  blood  was  pouring  from  the  underside  of  his  neck.  It 
was  pierced  by  a  very  small  but  very  deep  wound,  which  had 
divided  the  carotid  artery.  The  instrument  with  which  the 
injury  had  been  inflicted  lay  upon  the  carpet  beside  him.  It 
was  one  of  those  small  sealing-wax  knives  to  be  found  on  old- 
fashioned  writing-tables,  with  an  ivory  handle  and  a  stiff  blade. 
It  was  part  of  the  fittings  of  the  Professor's  own  desk. 

"At  first  the  maid  thought  that  young  Smith  was  already 
dead,  but  on  pouring  some  water  from  the  carafe  over  his  fore- 
head he  opened  his  eyes  for  an  instant.  '  The  Professor,'  he 
murmured  — '  it  was  she.'  The  maid  is  prepared  to  swear  that 
those  were  the  exact  words.  He  tried  desperately  to  say  some- 
thing else,  and  he  held  his  right  hand  up  in  the  air.  Then  he 
fell  back  dead. 

"  In  the  meantime  the  housekeeper  had  also  arrived  upon  the 
scene,  but  she  was  just  too  late  to  catch  the  young  man's  dying 
words.  Leaving  Susan  with  the  body,  she  hurried  to  the  Pro- 
fessor's room.  He  was  sitting  up  in  bed  horribly  agitated,  for 
he  had  heard  enough  to  convince  him  that  something  terrible 
had  occurred.  Mrs.  Marker  is  prepared  to  swear  that  the  Pro- 
fessor was  still  in  his  night-clothes,  and  indeed  it  was  impos- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        267 

sible  for  him  to  dress  without  the  help  of  Mortimer,  whose  or- 
ders were  to  come  at  twelve  o'clock.  The  Professor  declares 
that  he  heard  the  distant  cry,  but  that  he  knows  nothing  more. 
He  can  give  no  explanation  of  the  young  man's  last  words, '  The 
Professor  —  it  was  she,'  but  imagines  that  they  were  the  out- 
come of  delirium.  He  believes  that  Willoughby  Smith  had 
not  an  enemy  in  the  world,  and  can  give  no  reason  for  the  crime. 
His  first  action  was  to  send  Mortimer,  the  gardener,  for  the 


local  police.  A  little  later  the  chief  constable  sent  for  me. 
Nothing  was  moved  before  I  got  there,  and  strict  orders  were 
given  that  no  one  should  walk  upon  the  paths  leading  to  the 
house.  It  was  a  splendid  chance  of  putting  your  theories 
into  practice,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes.  There  was  really  nothing 
wanting. " 

"  Except  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes, "  said  my  companion,  with 
a  somewhat  bitter  smile.  "  Well,  let  us  hear  about  it.  What 
sort  of  a  job  did  you  make  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  must  ask  you  first,  Mr.  Holmes,  to  glance  at  this  rough 
plan,  which  will  give  you  a  general  idea  of  the  position  of  the 


268  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Professor's  study  and  the  various  points  of  the  case.  It  will 
help  you  in  following  my  investigation. " 

He  unfolded  the  rough  chart,  which  I  here  reproduce,  and  he 
laid  it  across  Holmes's  'knee.  I  rose,  and,  standing  behind 
Holmes,  studied  it  over  his  shoulder. 

"  It  is  very  rough,  of  course,  and  it  only  deals  with  the  points 
which  seem  to  me  to  be  essential.  All  the  rest  you  will  see  later 
for  yourself.  Now,  first  of  all,  presuming  that  the  assassin  en- 
tered the  house,  how  did  he  or  she  come  in  ?  Undoubtedly  by 
the  garden  path  and  the  back  door,  from  which  there  is  direct 
access  to  the  study.  Any  other  way  would  have  been  exceed- 
ingly complicated.  The  escape  must  have  also  been  made 
along  that  line,  for  of  the  two  other  exits  from  the  room  one  was 
blocked  by  Susan  as  she  ran  downstairs  and  the  other  leads 
straight  to  the  Professor's  bedroom.  I  therefore  directed  my 
attention  at  once  to  the  garden  path,  which  was  saturated  with 
recent  rain,  and  would  certainly  show  any  footmarks. 

"  My  examination  showed  me  that  I  was  dealing  with  a  cau- 
tious and  expert  criminal.  No  footmarks  were  to  be  found  on 
the  path.  There  could  be  no  question,  however,  that  someone 
had  passed  along  the  grass  border  which  lines  the  path,  and  that 
he  had  done  so  in  order  to  avoid  leaving  a  track.  I  could  not 
find  anything  in  the  nature  of  a  distinct  impression,  but  the 
grass  was  trodden  down  and  someone  had  undoubtedly  passed. 
It  could  only  have  been  the  murderer,  since  neither  the  gardener 
nor  anyone  else  had  been  there  that  morning  and  the  rain  had 
only  begun  during  the  night. " 

"  One  moment, "  said  Holmes.  "  Where  does  this  path  lead 
to?" 

"To  the  road." 

"How  long  is  it?" 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        269 

"  A  hundred  yards  or  so. " 

"  At  the  point  where  the  path  passes  through  the  gate,  you 
could  surely  pick  up  the  tracks  ?  " 

"  Unfortunately,  the  path  was  tiled 'at  that  point. " 

"  Well,  on  the  road  itself  ?  " 

"  No,  it  was  all  trodden  into  mire. " 

"  Tut-tut !  Well,  then,  these  tracks  upon  the  grass,  were  they 
coming  or  going  ?  " 

"  It  was  impossible  to  say.     There  was  never  any  outline. " 

"  A  large  foot  or  a  small  ?  " 

"  You  could  not  distinguish. " 

Holmes  gave  an  ejaculation  of  impatience. 

"It  has  been  pouring  rain  and  blowing  a  hurricane  ever  since," 
said  he.  "  It  will  be  harder  to  read  now  than  that  palimpsest. 
Well,  well,  it  can't  be  helped.  What  did  you  do,  Hopkins,  after 
you  had  made  certain  that  you  had  made  certain  of  nothing  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  made  certain  of  a  good  deal,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  knew 
that  someone  had  entered  the  house  cautiously  from  without. 
I  next  examined  the  corridor.  It  is  lined  with  cocoanut  matting, 
and  had  taken  no  impression  of  any  kind.  This  brought  me 
into  the  study  itself.  It  is  a  scantily  furnished  room.  The 
main  article  is  a  large  writing-table  with  a  fixed  bureau.  This 
bureau  consists  of  a  double  column  of  drawers,  with  a  central 
small  cupboard  between  them.  The  drawers  were  open,  the 
cupboard  locked.  The  drawers,  it  seems,  were  always  open, 
and  nothing  of  value  was  kept  in  them.  There  were  some 
papers  of  importance  in  the  cupboard,  but  there  were  no  signs 
that  this  had  been  tampered  with,  and  the  Professor  assures 
me  that  nothing  was  missing.  It  is  certain  that  no  robbery 
has  been  committed. 

"  I  come  now  to  the  body  of  the  young  man.     It  was  found 


370       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

near  the  bureau,  and  just  to  the  left  of  it,  as  marked  upon  that 
chart.  The  stab  was  on  the  right  side  of  the  neck  and  from  be- 
hind forwards,  so  that  it  is  almost  impossible  that  it  could  have 
been  self-inflicted. " 

"  Unless  he  fell  upon  the  knife, "  said  Holmes. 

"  Exactly.  The  idea  crossed  my  mind.  But  we  found  the 
knife  some  feet  away  from  the  body,  so  that  seems  impossible. 
Then,  of  course,  there  are  the  man's  own  dying  words.  And, 
finally,  there  was  this  very  important  piece  of  evidence  which 
was  found  clasped  in  the  dead  man's  right  hand.  " 

From  his  pocket  Stanley  Hopkins  drew  a  small  paper  packet. 
He  unfolded  it  and  disclosed  a  golden  pince-nez,  with  two 
broken  ends  of  black  silk  cord  dangling  from  the  end  of  it. 
"Willoughby  Smith  had  excellent  sight,"  he  added.  "There 
can  be  no  question  that  this  was  snatched  from  the  face  or  the 
person  of  the  assassin.  " 

Sherlock  Holmes  took  the  glasses  into  his  hand,  and  exam- 
ined them  with  the  utmost  attention  and  interest.  He  held 
them  on  his  nose,  endeavoured  to  read  through  them,  went 
to  the  window  and  stared  up  the  street  with  them,  looked  at 
them  most  minutely  in  the  full  light  of  the  lamp,  and  finally, 
with  a  chuckle,  seated  himself  at  the  table  and  wrote  a  few 
lines  upon  a  sheet  of  paper,  which  he  tossed  across  to  Stanley 
Hopkins. 

"  That's  the  best  I  can  do  for  you, "  said  he.  "  It  may  prove 
to  be  of  some  use.  " 

"The  astonished  detective  read  the  note  aloud.  It  ran  as 
follows :  — 

"  Wanted,  a  woman  of  good  address,  attired  like  a  lady.  She 
has  a  remarkably  thick  nose,  with  eyes  which  are  set  close  upon 
either  side  of  it.  She  has  a  puckered  forehead,  a  peering  expres- 


sion,  and  probably  rounded  shoulders.  There  are  indications 
that  she  has  had  recourse  to  an  optician  at  least  twice  during  the 
last  few  months.  As  her  glasses  are  of  remarkable  strength, 
and  as  opticians  are  not  very  numerous,  there  should  be  no  dif- 
ficulty in  tracing  her. " 

Holmes  smiled  at  the  astonishment  of  Hopkins,  which  must 
have  been  reflected  upon  my  features. 

"Surely  my  deductions  are  simplicity  itself,"  said  he.  "It 
would  be  difficult  to  name  any  articles  which  afford  a  finer  field 
for  inference  than  a  pair  of  glasses,  especially  so  remarkable  a 
pair  as  these.  That  they  belong  to  a  woman  I  infer  from  their 
delicacy,  and  also,  of  course,  from  the  last  words  of  the  dying 
man.  As  to  her  being  a  person  of  refinement  and  well  dressed, 
they  are,  as  you  perceive,  handsomely  mounted  in  solid  gold, 
and  it  is  inconceivable  that  anyone  who  wore  such  glasses  could 
be  slatternly  in  other  respects.  You  will  find  that  the  clips  are 
too  wide  for  your  nose,  showing  that  the  lady's  nose  was  very 
broad  at  the  base.  This  sort  of  nose  is  usually  a  short  and 
coarse  one,  but  there  is  a  sufficient  number  of  exceptions  to  pre- 
vent me  from  being  dogmatic  or  from  insisting  upon  this  point 
in  my  description.  My  own  face  is  a  narrow  one,  and  yet  I  find 
that  I  cannot  get  my  eyes  into  the  centre,  nor  near  the  centre,  of 
these  glasses.  Therefore,  the  lady's  eyes  are  set  very  near  to 
the  sides  of  the  nose.  You  will  perceive,  Watson,  that  the 
glasses  are  concave  and  of  unusual  strength.  A  lady  whose 
vision  has  been  so  extremely  contracted  all  her  life  is  sure  to 
have  the  physical  characteristics  of  such  vision,  which  are  seen 
in  the  forehead,  the  eyelids,  and  the  shoulders. " 

"  Yes, "  I  said,  "  I  can  follow  each  of  your  arguments.  I  con- 
fess,'however,  that  I  am  unable  to  understand  how  you  arrive  at 
the  double  visit  to  the  optician. " 


272       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Holmes  took  the  glasses  in  his  hand. 

"  You  will  perceive, "  he  said,  "  that  the  clips  are  lined  with 
tiny  bands  of  cork  to  soften  the  pressure  upon  the  nose.  One 
of  these  is  discoloured  and  worn  to  some  slight  extent,  but  the 
other  is  new.  Evidently  one  has  fallen  off  and  been  replaced. 
I  should  judge  that  the  older  of  them  has  not  been  there  more 
than  a  few  months.  They  exactly  correspond,  so  I  gather 
that  the  lady  went  back  to  the  same  establishment  for  the 
second. " 

"  By  George,  it's  marvellous ! "  cried  Hopkins,  in  an  ecstasy 
of  admiration.  "  To  think  that  I  had  all  that  evidence  in  my 
hand  and  never  knew  it!  I  had  intended,  however,  to  go  the 
round  of  the  London  opticians. " 

"Of  course  you  would.  Meanwhile,  have  you  anything 
more  to  tell  us  about  the  case  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  think  that  you  know  as  much  as 
I  do  now  —  probably  more.  We  have  had  inquiries  made  as 
to  any  stranger  seen  on  the  country  roads  or  at  the  railway 
station.  We  have  heard  of  none.  What  beats  me  is  the  utter 
want  of  all  object  in  the  crime.  Not  a  ghost  of  a  motive  can 
anyone  suggest. " 

"Ah!  there  I  am  not  in  a  position  to  help  you.  But  I  sup- 
pose you  want  us  to  come  out  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  If  it  is  not]  asking  too  much,  Mr.  Holmes.  There's  a 
train  from  Charing  Cross  to  Chatham  at  six  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  we  should  be  at  Yoxley  Old  Place  between  eight 
and  nine. " 

"  Then  we  shall  take  it.  Your  case  has  certainly  some  fea- 
tures of  great  interest,  and  I  shall  be  delighted  to  look  into  it. 
Well,  it's  nearly  one,  and  we  had  best  get  a  few  hours'  sleep. 
I  dare  say  you  can  manage  all  right  on  the  sofa  in  front  of. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ         273 

the  fire.     I'll  light  my  spirit  lamp,  and  give  you  a  cup  of  coffee 
before  we  start. " 

The  gale  had  blown  itself  out  next  day,  but  it  was  a  bitter 
morning  when  we  started  upon  our  journey.  We  saw  the  cold 
winter  sun  rise  over  the  dreary  marshes  of  the  Thames  and  the 
long,  sullen  reaches  of  the  river,  which  I  shall  ever  associate 
with  our  pursuit  of  the  Andaman  Islander  in  the  earlier  days  of 
our  career.  After  a  long  and  weary  journey,  we  alighted  at  a 
small  station  some  miles  from  Chatham.  While  a  horse  was 
being  put  into  a  trap  at  the  local  inn,  we  snatched  a  hurried 
breakfast,  and  so  we  were  all  ready  for  business  when  we  at 
last  arrived  at  Yoxley  Old  Place.  A  constable  met  us  at  the 
garden  gate. 

"  Well,  Wilson,  any  news  ?  " 

"  No,  sir  —  nothing.  " 

"  No  reports  of  any  stranger  seen  ?  " 

"No,  sir.  Down  at  the  station  they  are  certain  that  no 
stranger  either  came  or  went  yesterday. " 

"  Have  you  had  inquiries  made  at  inns  and  lodgings  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir :  there  is  no  one  that  we  cannot  account  for. " 

"Well,  it's  only  a  reasonable  walk  to  Chatham.  Anyone 
might  stay  there  or  take  a  train  without  being  observed.  This 
is  the  garden  path  of  which  I  spoke,  Mr.  Holmes.  I'll  pledge 
my  word  there  was  no  mark  on  it  yesterday. " 

"  On  which  side  were  the  marks  on  the  grass  ?  " 

"  This  side,  sir.  This  narrow  margin  of  grass  between  the 
path  and  the  flower-bed.  I  can't  see  the  traces  now,  but  they 
were  clear  to  me  then. " 

"Yes,  yes:  someone  has  passed  along,"  said  Holmes,  stoop- 
ing over  the  grass  border.  "  Our  lady  must  have  picked  her 


274  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

steps  carefully,  must  she  not,  since  on  the  one  side  she  would 
leave  a  track  on  the  path,  and  on  the  other  an  even  clearer  one 
on  the  soft  bed  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  she  must  have  been  a  cool  hand. " 

I  saw  an  intent  look  pass  over  Holmes'  face. 

"  You  say  that  she  must  have  come  back  this  way  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  there  is  no  other. " 

"  On  this  strip  of  grass  ?  " 

"Certainly,  Mr.  Holmes." 

"  Hum !  It  was  a  very  remarkable  performance  —  very  re- 
markable. Well,  I  think  we  have  exhausted  the  path.  Let  us 
go  farther.  This  garden  door  is  usually  kept  open,  I  suppose  ? 
Then  this  visitor  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  walk  in.  The  idea  of 
murder  was  not  in  her  mind,  or  she  would  have  provided  herself 
with  some  sort  of  weapon,  instead  of  having  to  pick  this  knife 
off  the  writing-table.  She  advanced  along  this  corridor,  leav- 
ing no  traces  upon  the  cocoanut  matting.  Then  she  found  her- 
self in  this  study.  How  long  was  she  there?  We  have  no 
means  of  judging. " 

"  Not  more  than  a  few  minutes,  sir.  I  forgot  to  tell  you  that 
Mrs.  Marker,  the  housekeeper,  had  been  in  there  tidying  not 
very  long  before  —  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  she  says. " 

"  Well,  that  gives  us  a  limit.  Our  lady  enters  this  room,  and 
what  does  she  do  ?  She  goes  over  to  the  writing-table.  What 
for  ?  Not  for  anything  in  the  drawers.  If  there  had  been  any- 
thing worth  her  taking,  it  would  surely  have  been  locked  up. 
No,  it  was  for  something  in  that  wooden  bureau.  Halloa! 
what  is  that  scratch  upon  the  face  of  it  ?  Just  hold  a  match, 
Watson.  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  of  this,  Hopkins  ?" 

The  mark  which  he  was  examining  began  upon  the  brass- 
work  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  keyhole,  and  extended  for 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        275 

about  four  inches,  where  it  had  scratched  the  varnish  from  the 
surface. 

"  I  noticed  it,  Mr.  Holmes,  but  you'll  always  find  scratches 
round  a  keyhole. " 

"This  is  recent,  quite  recent.  See  how  the  brass  shines 
where  it  is  cut.  An  old  scratch  would  be  the  same  colour  as 
the  surface.  Look  at  it  through  my  lens.  There's  the  varnish, 
too,  like  earth  on  each  side  of  a  furrow.  Is  Mrs.  Marker 
there  ?  " 

A  sad-faced,  elderly  woman  came  into  the  room. 

"  Did  you  dust  this  bureau  yesterday  morning  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Did  you  notice  this  scratch  ?  " 

"No,  sir,  I  did  not." 

"  I  am  sure  you  did  not,  for  a  duster  would  have  swept  away 
these  shreds  of  varnish.  Who  has  the  key  of  this  bureau  ?  " 

"  The  Professor  keeps  it  on  his  watch-chain.  " 

"  Is  it  a  simple  key  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  it  is  a  Chubb's  key. " 

"  Very  good.  Mrs.  Marker,  you  can  go.  Now  we  are  mak- 
ing a  little  progress.  Our  lady  enters  the  room,  advances  to  the 
bureau,  and  either  opens  it  or  tries  to  do  so.  While  she  is  thus 
engaged,  young  Willoughby  Smith  enters  the  room.  In  her 
hurry  to  withdraw  the  key,  she  makes  this  scratch  upon  the 
door.  He  seizes  her,  and  she,  snatching  up  the  nearest  ob- 
ject, which  happens  to  be  this  knife,  strikes  at  him  in  order  to 
make  him  let  go  his  hold.  The  blow  is  a  fatal  one.  He  falls 
and  she  escapes,  either  with  or  without  the  object  for  which 
she  has  come.  Is  Susan,  the  maid,  there  ?  Could  anyone 
have  got  away  through  that  door  after  the  time  that  you  heard 
the  cry,  Susan  ?  " 


276  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  No,  sir,  it  is  impossible.  Before  I  got  down  the  stair, 
I'd  have  seen  anyone  in  the  passage.  Besides,  the  door  never 
opened,  or  I  would  have  heard  it.  " 

"That  settles  this  exit.  Then  no  doubt  the  lady  went  out 
the  way  she  came.  I  understand  that  this  other  passage  leads 
only  to  the  Professor's  room.  There  is  no  exit  that  way  ? " 

"No,  sir." 

"  We  shall  go  down  it  and  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  Pro- 
fessor. Halloa,  Hopkins!  this  is  very  important,  very  im- 
portant indeed.  The  Professor's  corridor  is  also  lined  with 
cocoanut  matting. " 

"  Well,  sir,  what  of  that  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  see  any  bearing  upon  the  case  ?  Well,  well, 
I  don't  insist  upon  it.  No  doubt  I  am  wrong.  And  yet 
it  seems  to  me  to  be  suggestive.  Come  with  me  and  intro- 
duce me. " 

We  passed  down  the  passage,  which  was  of  the  same  length 
as  that  which  led  to  the  garden.  At  the  end  was  a  short  flight 
of  steps  ending  in  a  door.  Our  guide  knocked,  and  then 
ushered  us  into  the  Professor's  bedroom. 

It  was  a  very  large  chamber,  lined  with  innumerable  volumes, 
which  had  overflowed  from  the  shelves  and  lay  in  piles  in  the 
corners,  or  were  stacked  all  round  at  the  base  of  the  cases.  The 
bed  was  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  and  in  it,  propped  up  with 
pillows,  was  the  owner  of  the  house.  I  have  seldom  seen  a  more 
remarkable-looking  person.  It  was  a  gaunt,  aquiline  face 
which  was  turned  towards  us,  with  piercing  dark  eyes,  which 
lurked  in  deep  hollows  under  overhung  and  tufted  brows.  His 
hair  and  beard  were  white,  save  that  the  latter  was  curiously 
stained  with  yellow  around  his  mouth.  A  cigarette  glowed 
amid  the  tangle  of  white  hair,  and  the  air  of  the  room  was  fetid 


IT    WAS     A    GAUNT,     AQUILINE    FACE     WHICH     WAS    TURNED 
TOWARDS     US 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        277 

with  stale  tobacco-smoke.  As  he  held  out  his  hand  to  Holmes, 
I  perceived  that  it  was  also  stained  with  yellow  nicotine. 

"  A  smoker,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  "  said  he,  speaking  in  well-chosen 
English,  with  a  curious  little  mincing  accent.  "Pray  take  a 
cigarette.  And  you,  sir  ?  I  can  recommend  them,  for  I  have 
them  especially  prepared  by  lonides,  of  Alexandria.  He  sends 
me  a  thousand  at  a  time,  and  I  grieve  to  say  that  I  have  to 
arrange  for  a  fresh  supply  every  fortnight.  Bad,  sir,  very 
bad,  but  an  old  man  has  few  pleasures.  Tobacco  and  my 
work  —  that  is  all  that  is  left  to  me.  " 

Holmes  had  lit  a  cigarette,  and  was  shooting  little  darting 
glances  all  over  the  room. 

"  Tobacco  and  my  work,  but  now  only  tobacco, "  the  old  man 
exclaimed.  "Alas!  what  a  fatal  interruption !  Who  could  have 
foreseen  such  a  terrible  catastrophe?  So  estimable  a  young 
man !  I  assure  you  that,  after  a  few  months'  training  he  was  an 
admirable  assistant.  What  do  you  think  of  the  matter,  Mr. 
Holmes?" 

"  I  have  not  yet  made  up  my  mind. " 

"  I  shall  indeed  be  indebted  to  you  if  you  can  throw  a  light 
where  all  is  so  dark  to  us.  To  a  poor  bookworm  and  invalid 
like  myself  such  a  blow  is  paralyzing.  I  seem  to  have  lost  the 
faculty  of  thought.  But  you  are  a  man  of  action  —  you  are  a 
man  of  affairs.  It  is  part  of  the  everyday  routine  of  your  life. 
You  can  preserve  your  balance  in  every  emergency.  We  are 
fortunate,  indeed,  in  having  you  at  our  side. " 

Holmes  was  pacing  up  and  down  one  side  of  the  room  whilst 
the  old  Professor  was  talking.  I  observed  that  he  was  smoking 
with  extraordinary  rapidity.  It  was  evident  that  he  shared  our 
host's  liking  for  the  fresh  Alexandrian  cigarettes. 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  is  a  crushing  blow, "  said  the  old  man.     "  That  is 


278       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

my  magnum  opus  —  the  pile  of  papers  on  the  side  table  yonder. 
It  is  my  analysis  of  the  documents  found  in  the  Coptic  monas- 
teries of  Syria  and  Egypt,  a  work  which  will  cut  deep  at  the  very 
foundation  of  revealed  religion.  With  my  enfeebled  health  I 
do  not  know  whether  I  shall  ever  be  able  to  complete  it, 
now  that  my  assistant  has  been  taken  from  me.  Dear  me! 
Mr.  Holmes,  why,  you  are  even  a  quicker  smoker  than  I  am 
myself." 

Holmes  smiled. 

"  I  am  a  connoisseur, "  said  he,  taking  another  cigarette  from 
the  box  —  his  fourth  —  and  lighting  it  from  the  stub  of  that 
which  he  had  finished.  "  I  will  not  trouble  you  with  any  lengthy 
cross-examination,  Professor  Coram,  since  I  gather  that  you 
were  in  bed  at  the  time  of  the  crime,  and  could  know  nothing 
about  it.  I  would  only  ask  this.  What  do  you  imagine  that 
this  poor  fellow  meant  by  his  last  words :  '  The  Professor  —  it 
was  she'  ?  " 

The  Professor  shook  his  head. 

"  Susan  is  a  country  girl, "  said  he,  "  and  you  know  the  in- 
credible stupidity  of  that  class.  I  fancy  that  the  poor  fellow 
murmured  some  incoherent,  delirious  words,  and  that  she  twist- 
ed them  into  this  meaningless  message.  " 

"  I  see.     You  have  no  explanation  yourself  of  the  tragedy  ?  " 

"  Possibly  an  accident,  possibly  —  I  only  breathe  it  among 
ourselves  —  a  suicide.  Young  men  have  their  hidden  troubles 
—  some  affair  of  the  heart,  perhaps,  which  we  have  never 
known.  It  is  a  more  probable  supposition  than  murder. " 

"  But  the  eye-glasses  ?  " 

"  Ah !  I  am  only  a  student  —  a  man  of  dreams.  I  cannot  ex- 
plain the  practical  things  of  life.  But  still,  we  are  aware,  my 
friend,  that  love-gages  may  take  strange  shapes.  By  all  means 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        279 

take  another  cigarette.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  see  anyone  appre- 
ciate them  so.  A  fan,  a  glove,  glasses  —  who  knows  what  article 
may  be  carried  as  a  token  or  treasured  when  a  man  puts  an  end 
to  his  life  ?  This  gentleman  speaks  of  footsteps  in  the  grass, 
but,  after  all,  it  is  easy  to  be  mistaken  on  such  a  point.  As  to 
the  knife,  it  might  well  be  thrown  far  from  the  unfortunate 
man  as  he  fell.  It  is  possible  that  I  speak  as  a  child,  but 
to  me  it  seems  that  Willoughby  Smith  has  met  his  fate  by 
his  own  hand." 

Holmes  seemed  struck  by  the  theory  thus  put  forward,  and  he 
continued  to  walk  up  and  down  for  some  time,  lost  in  thought 
and  consuming  cigarette  after  cigarette. 

"  Tell  me,  Professor  Coram, "  he  said,  at  last,  "  what  is  in  that 
cupboard  in  the  bureau  ?  " 

"Nothing  that  would  help  a  thief.  Family  papers,  letters 
from  my  poor  wife,  diplomas  of  universities  which  have  done 
me  honour.  Here  is  the  key.  You  can  look  for  yourself. " 

Holmes  picked  up  the  key,  and  looked  at  it  for  an  instant, 
then  he  handed  it  back. 

"No,  I  hardly  think  that  it  would  help  me,"  said  he.  "I 
should  prefer  to  go  quietly  down  to  your  garden,  and  turn  the 
whole  matter  over  in  my  head.  There  is  something  to  be  said 
for  the  theory  of  suicide  which  you  have  put  forward.  We  must 
apologize  for  having  intruded  upon  you,  Professor  Coram,  and 
I  promise  that  we  won't  disturb  you  until  after  lunch.  At 
two  o'clock  we  will  come  again,  and  report  to  you  anything 
which  may  have  happened  in  the  interval. " 

Holmes  was  curiously  distrait,  and  we  walked  up  and  down 
the  garden  path  for  some  time  in  silence. 

"  Have  you  a  clue  ?  "  I  asked,  at  last. 

"  It  depends  upon  those  cigarettes  that  I  smoked, "  said  he. 


280       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  It  is  possible  that  I  am  utterly  mistaken.     The  cigarettes  will 
show  me. " 

"  My  dear  Holmes, "  I  exclaimed,  "  how  on  earth —  " 
"Well,  well,  you  may  see  for  yourself,  If  not,  there's  no 
harm  done.  Of  course,  we  always  have  the  optician  clue  to  fall 
back  upon,  but  I  take  a  short  cut  when  I  can  get  it.  Ah,  here  is 
the  good  Mrs.  Marker!  Let  us  enjoy  five  minutes  of  instructive 
conversation  with  her. " 

I  may  have  remarked  before  that  Holmes  had,  when  he  liked, 
a  peculiarly  ingratiating  way  with  women,  and  that  he  very 
readily  established  terms  of  confidence  with  them.  In  half  the 
time  which  he  had  named,  he  had  captured  the  housekeeper's 
goodwill,  and  was  chatting  with  her  as  if  he  had  known  her  for 
years. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Holmes,  it  is  as  you  say,  sir.     He  does  smoke 
something  terrible.     All  day  and  sometimes  all  night,  sir.     I've 
seen  that  room  of  a  morning  —  well,  sir  you'd  have  thought  it 
was  a  London  fog.     Poor  young  Mr.  Smith,  he  was  a  smoker 
also,  but  not  as  bad  as  the  Professor.     His  health  —  well,  I 
don't  know  that  it's  better  nor  worse  for  the  smoking. " 
"Ah!"  said  Holmes,  "but  it  kills  the  appetite. " 
"Well,  I  don't  know  about  that,  sir. " 
"  I  suppose  the  Professor  eats  hardly  anything  ?  " 
"  Well,  he  is  variable.     I'll  say  that  for  him.  " 
"  I'll  wager  he  took  no  breakfast  this  morning,  and  won't  face 
his  lunch  after  all  the  cigarettes  I  saw  him  consume.  " 

"  Well,  you're  out  there,  sir,  as  it  happens,  for  he  ate  a  remark- 
able big  breakfast  this  morning.  I  don't  know  when  I've 
known  him  make  a  better  one,  and  he's  ordered  a  good  dish  of 
cutlets  for  his  lunch.  I'm  surprised  myself,  for  since  I  came 
into  that  room  yesterday  and  saw  young  Mr.  Smith  lying  there 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        281 

on  the  floor,  I  couldn't  bear  to  look  at  food.  Well,  it  takes  all 
sorts  to  make  a  world,  and  the  Professor  hasn't  let  it  take  his 
appetite  away. " 

We  loitered  the  morning  away  in  the  garden.  Stanley  Hop- 
kins had  gone  down  to  the  village  to  look  into  some  rumours  of 
a  strange  woman  who  had  been  seen  by  some  children  on  the 
Chatham  Road  the  previous  morning.  As  to  my  friend,  all  his 
usual  energy  seemed  to  have  deserted  him.  I  had  never  known 
him  handle  a  case  in  such  a  half-hearted  fashion.  Even  the 
news  brought  back  by  Hopkins  that  he  had  found  the  children, 
and  that  they  had  undoubtedly  seen  a  woman  exactly  corre- 
sponding with  Holmes'  description,  and  wearing  either  spec- 
tacles or  eye-glasses,  failed  to  rouse  any  sign  of  keen  interest. 
He  was  more  attentive  when  Susan,  who  waited  upon  us  at 
lunch,  volunteered  the  information  that  she  believed  Mr.  Smith 
had  been  out  for  a  walk  yesterday  morning,  and  that  he  had 
only  returned  half  an  hour  before  the  tragedy  occurred.  I 
could  not  myself  see  the  bearing  of  this  incident,  but  I  clearly 
perceived  that  Holmes  was  weaving  it  into  the  general  scheme 
which  he  had  formed  in  his  brain.  Suddenly  he  sprang  from 
his  chair  and  glanced  at  his  watch.  "  Two  o'clock,  gentlemen," 
said  he.  "  We  must  go  up  and  have  it  out  with  our  friend,  the 
Professor. " 

The  old  man  had  just  finished  his  lunch,  and  certainly  his 
empty  dish  bore  evidence  to  the  good  appetite  with  which  his 
housekeeper  had  credited  him.  He  was,  indeed,  a  weird  figure 
as  he  turned  his  white  mane  and  his  glowing  eyes  towards  us. 
The  eternal  cigarette  smouldered  in  his  mouth.  He  had  been 
dressed,  and  was  seated  in  an  armchair  by  the  fire. 

"Well,  Mr.  Holmes,  have  you  solved  this  mystery  yet?" 
He  shoved  the  large  tin  of  cigarettes  which  stood  on  a  table  be- 


282       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

side  him  towards  my  companion.  Holmes  stretched  out  his 
hand  at  the  same  moment,  and  between  them  they  tipped  the 
box  over  the  edge.  For  a  minute  or  two  we  were  all  on  our 
knees  retrieving  stray  cigarettes  from  impossible  places.  When 
we  rose  again,  I  observed  Holmes'  eyes  were  shining  and  his 
cheeks  tinged  with  colour.  Only  at  a  crisis  have  I  seen  those 
battle-signals  flying. 

"  Yes, "  said  he,  "  I  have  solved  it. " 

Stanley  Hopkins  and  I  stared  in  amazement.  Something 
like  a  sneer  quivered  over  the  gaunt  features  of  the  old 
Professor. 

"  Indeed !    In  the  garden  ?  " 

"No,  here." 

"Here!  When?" 

"This  instant." 

"  You  are  surely  joking,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes.  You  com- 
pel me  to  tell  you  that  this  is  too  serious  a  matter  to  be  treated 
in  such  a  fashion. 

"  I  have  forged  and  tested  every  link  of  my  chain,  Professor 
Coram,  and  I  am  sure  that  it  is  sound.  What  your  motives  are, 
or  what  exact  part  you  play  in  this  strange  business,  I  am  not 
yet  able  to  say.  In  a  few  minutes  I  shall  probably  hear  it  from 
your  own  lips.  Meanwhile  I  will  reconstruct  what  is  past  for 
your  benefit,  so  that  you  may  know  the  information  which  I 
still  require. 

"  A  lady  yesterday  entered  your  study.  She  came  with  the 
intention  of  possessing  herself  of  certain  documents  which  were 
in  your  bureau.  She  had  a  key  of  her  own.  I  have  had  an  op- 
portunity of  examining  yours,  and  I  do  not  find  that  slight  dis- 
colouration which  the  scratch  made  upon  the  varnish  would 
have  produced.  You  were  not  an  accessory,  therefore,  and 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        283 

she  came,  so  far  as  I  can  read  the  evidence,  without  your 
knowledge  to  rob  you.  " 

The  Professor  blew  a  cloud  from  his  lips.  "This  is  most 
interesting  and  instructive, "  said  he.  "  Have  you  no  more  to 
add  ?  Surely,  having  traced  this  lady  so  far,  you  can  also  say 
what  has  become  of  her. " 

"  I  will  endeavour  to  do  so.  In  the  first  place  she  was  seized 
by  your  secretary,  and  stabbed  him  in  order  to  escape.  This 
catastrophe  I  am  inclined  to  regard  as  an  unhappy  accident,  for 
I  am  convinced  that  the  lady  had  no  intention  of  inflicting  so 
grievous  an  injury.  An  assassin  does  not  come  unarmed.  Hor- 
rified by  what  she  had  done,  she  rushed  wildly  away  from  the 
scene  of  the  tragedy.  Unfortunately  for  her,  she  had  lost  her 
glasses  in  the  scuffle,  and  as  she  was  extremely  short-sighted 
she  was  really  helpless  without  them.  She  ran  down  a  corri- 
dor, which  she  imagined  to  be  that  by  which  she  had  come  — 
both  were  lined  with  cocoanut  matting  —  and  it  was  only  when 
it  was  too  late  that  she  understood  that  she  had  taken  the  wrong 
passage,  and  that  her  retreat  was  cut  off  behind  her.  What  was 
she  to  do?  She  could  not  go  back.  She  could  not  remain 
where  she  was.  She  must  go  on.  She  went  on.  She  mounted 
a  stair,  pushed  open  a  door,  and  found  herself  in  your 
room." 

The  old  man  sat  with  his  mouth  open,  staring  wildly  at 
Holmes.  Amazement  and  fear  were  stamped  upon  his  ex- 
pressive features.  Now,  with  an  effort,  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders  and  burst  into  insincere  laughter. 

"All  very  fine,  Mr.  Holmes,"  said  he.  "But  there  is  one 
little  flaw  in  your  splendid  theory.  I  was  myself  in  my  room, 
and  I  never  left  it  during  the  day. " 

"  I  am  aware  of  that,  Professor  Coram. " 


284  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  And  you  mean  to  say  that  I  could  lie  upon  that  bed  and  not 
be  aware  that  a  woman  had  entered  my  room  ?  " 

"  I  never  said  so.  You  were  aware  of  it.  You  spoke  with 
her.  You  recognised  her.  You  aided  her  to  escape. " 

Again  the  Professor  burst  into  high-keyed  laughter.  He  had 
risen  to  his  feet,  and  his  eyes  glowed  like  embers. 

"You  are  mad!"  he  cried.  "You  are  talking  insanely.  I 
helped  her  to  escape  ?  Where  is  she  now  ?  " 

"  She  is  there, "  said  Holmes,  and  he  pointed  to  a  high  book- 
case in  the  corner  of  the  room. 

I  saw  the  old  man  throw  up  his  arms,  a  terrible  convulsion 
passed  over  his  grim  face,  and  he  fell  back  in  his  chair.  At  the 
same  instant  the  bookcase  at  which  Holmes  pointed  swung 
round  upon  a  hinge,  and  a  woman  rushed  out  into  the  room. 
"  You  are  right ! "  she  cried,  in  a  strange,  foreign  voice.  "  You 
are  right !  I  am  here. " 

She  was  brown  with  the  dust,  and  draped  with  the  cobwebs, 
which  had  come  from  the  walls  of  her  hiding-place.  Her  face, 
too,  was  streaked  with  grime,  and  at  the  best  she  could  never 
have  been  handsome,  for  she  had  the  exact  physical  characteris- 
tics which  Holmes  had  divined,  with,  in  addition,  a  long  and  ob- 
stinate chin.  What  with  her  natural  blindness,  and  what  with 
the  change  from  dark  to  light,  she  stood  as  one  dazed,  blinking 
about  her  to  see  where  and  who  we  were.  And  yet,  in  spite 
of  all  these  disadvantages,  there  was  a  certain  nobility  in  the 
woman's  bearing  —  a  gallantry  in  the  defiant  chin  and  in  the 
upraised  head,  which  compelled  something  of  respect  and 
admiration. 

Stanley  Hopkins  had  laid  his  hand  upon  her  arm  and 
claimed  her  as  his  prisoner,  but  she  waved  him  aside  gently,  and 
yet  with  an  overmastering  dignity  which  compelled  obedience. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        285 

The  old  man  lay  back  in  his  chair  with  a  twitching  face,  and 
stared  at  her  with  brooding  eyes. 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  am  your  prisoner, "  she  said.  "  From  where  I 
stood  I  could  hear  everything,  and  I  know  that  you  have  learned 
the  truth.  I  confess  it  all.  It  was  I  who  killed  the  young  man. 
But  you  are  right  —  you  who  say  it  was  an  accident.  I  did  not 
even  know  that  it  was  a  knife  which  I  held  in  my  hand,  for  in 
my  despair  I  snatched  anything  from  the  table  and  struck  at  him 
to  make  him  let  me  go.  It  is  the  truth  that  I  tell. " 

"  Madam, "  said  Holmes,  "  I  am  sure  that  it  is  the  truth.  I 
fear  that  you  are  far  from  well. " 

She  had  turned  a  dreadful  colour,  the  more  ghastly  under  the 
dark  dust-streaks  upon  her  face.  She  seated  herself  on  the 
side  of  the  bed ;  then  she  resumed. 

"  I  have  only  a  little  time  here, "  she  said,  "  but  I  would  have 
you  to  know  the  whole  truth.  I  am  this  man's  wife.  He  is  not 
an  Englishman.  He  is  a  Russian.  His  name  I  will  not  tell.  " 

For  the  first  time  the  old  man  stirred.  "God  bless  you, 
Anna ! "  he  cried.  "  God  bless  you ! " 

She  cast  a  look  of  the  deepest  disdain  in  his  direction.  "  Why 
should  you  cling  so  hard  to  that  wretched  life  of  yours,  Ser- 
gius  ?  "  said  she.  "  It  has  done  harm  to  many,  and  good  to 
none  —  not  even  to  yourself.  However,  it  is  not  for  me  to 
cause  the  frail  thread  to  be  snapped  before  God's  time.  I  have 
enough  already  upon  my  soul  since  I  crossed  the  threshold  of 
this  cursed  house.  But  I  must  speak  or  I  shall  be  too  late. 

"  I  have  said,  gentlemen,  that  I  am  this  man's  wife.  He  was 
fifty  and  I  a  foolish  girl  of  twenty  when  we  married.  It  was  in  a 
city  of  Russia,  a  University  —  I  will  not  name  the  place.  " 

"  God  bless  you,  Anna! "  murmured  the  old  man  again. 

"  We  were  reformers  —  revolutionists  —  Nihilists,  you  under- 


286       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

stand.  He  and  I  and  many  more.  Then  there  came  a  time  of 
trouble,  a  police  officer  was  killed,  many  were  arrested,  evidence 
was  wanted,  and  in  order  to  save  his  own  life  and  to  earn  a  great 
reward,  my  husband  betrayed  his  own  wife  and  his  compan- 
ions. Yes,  we  were  all  arrested  upon  his  confession.  Some  of 
us  found  our  way  to  the  gallows,  and  some  to  Siberia.  I  was 
among  these  last,  but  my  term  was  not  for  life.  My  husband 
came  to  England  with  his  ill-gotten  gains,  and  has  lived  in  quiet 
ever  since,  knowing  well  that  if  the  Brotherhood  knew  where  he 
was  not  a  week  would  pass  before  justice  would  be  done. " 

The  old  man  reached  out  a  trembling  hand,  and  helped 
himself  to  a  cigarette.  "  I  am  in  your  hands,  Anna, "  said 
he.  "  You  were  always  good  to  me.  " 

"  I  have  not  yet  told  you  the  height  of  his  villainy, "  said  she. 
"  Among  our  comrades  of  the  Order,  there  was  one  who  was 
the  friend  of  my  heart.  He  was  noble,  unselfish,  loving  —  all 
that  my  husband  was  not.  He  hated  violence.  We  were  all 
guilty  —  if  that  is  guilt — but  he  was  not.  He  wrote  for  ever  dis- 
suading us  from  such  a  course.  These  letters  would  have 
saved  him.  So  would  my  diary,  in  which,  from  day  to  day,  I 
had  entered  both  my  feelings  towards  him  and  the  view  which 
each  of  us  had  taken.  My  husband  found  and  kept  both  diary 
and  letters.  He  hid  them,  and  he  tried  hard  to  swear  away  the 
young  man's  life.  In  this  he  failed,  but  Alexis  was  sent  a  con- 
vict to  Siberia,  where  now,  at  this  moment,  he  works  in  a  salt 
mine.  Think  of  that,  you  villain,  you  villain!  —  now,  now,  at 
this  very  moment,  Alexis,  a  man  whose  name  you  are  not 
worthy  to  speak,  works  and  lives  like  a  slave,  and  yet  I  have 
your  life  in  my  hands,  and  I  let  you  go.  " 

"  You  were  always  a  noble  woman,  Anna, "  said  the  old  man, 
puffing  at  his  cigarette. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ         287 

She  had  risen,  but  she  fell  back  again  with  a  little  cry  of  pain. 

"  I  must  finish, "  she  said.  "  When  my  term  was  over  I  set 
myself  to  get  the  diary  and  letters  which,  if  sent  to  the  Russian 
Government,  would  procure  my  friend's  release.  I  knew  that 
my  husband  had  come  to  England.  After  months  of  searching 
I  discovered  where  he  was.  I  knew  that  he  still  had  the  diary, 
for  when  I  was  in  Siberia  I  had  a  letter  from  him  once,  re- 
proaching me  and  quoting  some  passages  from  its  pages.  Yet 
I  was  sure  that,  with  his  revengeful  nature,  he  would  never  give 
it  to  me  of  his  own  free-will.  I  must  get  it  for  myself.  With 
this  object  I  engaged  an  agent  from  a  private  detective  firm, 
who  entered  my  husband's  house  as  a  secretary  —  it  was  your 
second  secretary,  Sergius,  the  one  who  left  you  so  hurriedly.  He 
found  that  papers  were  kept  in  the  cupboard,  and  he  got  an  im- 
pression of  the  key.  He  would  not  go  farther.  He  furnished 
me  with  a  plan  of  the  house,  and  he  told  me  that  in  the  fore- 
noon the  study  was  always  empty,  as  the  secretary  was  em- 
ployed up  here.  So  at  last  I  took  my  courage  in  both  hands, 
and  I  came  down  to  get  the  papers  for  myself.  I  succeeded ; 
but  at  what  a  cost ! 

"  I  had  just  taken  the  papers  and  was  locking  the  cupboard, 
when  the  young  man  seized  me.  I  had  seen  him  already  that 
morning.  He  had  met  me  on  the  road,  and  I  had  asked  him  to 
tell  me  where  Professor  Coram  lived,  not  knowing  that  he  was 
in  his  employ. " 

"Exactly!  exactly!"  said  Holmes.  "The  secretary  came 
back,  and  told  his  employer  of  the  woman  he  had  met.  Then 
in  his  last  breath,  he  tried  to  send  a  message  that  it  was  she  — 
the  she  whom  he  had  just  discussed  with  him. " 

"  You  must  let  me  speak, "  said  the  woman,  in  an  imperative 
voice,  and  her  face  contracted  as  if  in  pain.  "When  he  had 


288  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

fallen  I  rushed  from  the  room,  chose  the  wrong  door,  and  found 
myself  in  my  husband's  room.  He  spoke  of  giving  me  up.  I 
showed  him  that  if  he  did  so,  his  life  was  in  my  hands.  If  he 
gave  me  to  the  law,  I  could  give  him  to  the  Brotherhood.  It  was 
not  that  I  wished  to  live  for  my  own  sake,  but  it  was  that  I 
desired  to  accomplish  my  purpose.  He  knew  that  I  would  do 
what  I  said  —  that  his  own  fate  was  involved  in  mine.  For  that 
reason,  and  for  no  other,  he  shielded  me.  He  thrust  me  into  that 
dark  hiding-place — a  relic  of  old  days,  known  only  to  himself. 
He  took  his  meals  in  his  own  room,  and  so  was  able  to  give  me 
part  of  his  food.  It  was  agreed  that  when  the  police  left  the 
house  I  should  slip  away  by  night  and  come  back  no  more.  But 
in  some  way  you  have  read  our  plans. "  She  tore  from  the  bosom 
of  her  dress  a  small  packet.  "  These  are  my  last  words, "  said 
she;  "  here  is  the  packet  which  will  save  Alexis.  I  confide  it  to 
your  honour  and  to  your  love  of  justice.  Take  it !  You  will  de- 
liver it  at  the  Russian  Embassy.  Now,  I  have  done  my  duty, 
and —  " 

"Stop  her!"  cried  Holmes.  He  had  bounded  across  the 
room,  and  had  wrenched  a  small  phial  from  her  hand. 

"  Too  late ! "  she  said,  sinking  back  on  the  bed.  "  Too  late ! 
I  took  the  poison  before  I  left  my  hiding-place.  My  head 
swims!  I  am  going!  I  charge  you,  sir,  to  remember  the 
packet. " 

"A  simple  case,  and  yet,  in  some  ways,  an  instructive  one, " 
Holmes  remarked,  as  we  travelled  back  to  town.  "  It  hinged 
from  the  outset  upon  the  pince-nez.  But  for  the  fortunate 
chance  of  the  dying  man  having  seized  these,  I  am  not  sure  that 
we  could  ever  have  reached  our  solution.  It  was  clear  to  me, 
from  the  strength  of  the  glasses,  that  the  wearer  must  have  been 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  GOLDEN  PINCE-NEZ        289 

very  blind  and  helpless  when  deprived  of  them.  When  you 
asked  me  to  believe  that  she  walked  along  a  narrow  strip  of 
grass  without  once  making  a  false  step,  I  remarked,  as  you  may 
remember,  that  it  was  a  noteworthy  performance.  In  my  mind 
I  set  it  down  as  an  impossible  performance,  save  in  the  unlikely 
case  that  she  had  a  second  pair  of  glasses.  I  was  forced,  there- 
fore, to  seriously  consider  the  hypothesis  that  she  had  remained 
within  the  house.  On  perceiving  the  similarity  of  the  two  cor- 
ridors, it  became  clear  that  she  might  very  easily  have  made 
such  a  mistake,  and,  in  that  case,  it  was  evident  that  she  must 
have  entered  the  Professor's  room.  I  was  keenly  on  the  alert, 
therefore,  for  whatever  would  bear  out  this  supposition,  and 
I  examined  the  room  narrowly  for  anything  in  the  shape  of  a 
hiding-place.  The  carpet  seemed  continuous  and  firmly  nailed, 
so  I  dismissed  the  idea  of  a  trap-door.  There  might  well  be 
a  recess  behind  the  books.  As  you  are  aware,  such  devices  are 
common  in  old  libraries.  I  observed  that  books  were  piled  on 
the  floor  at  all  other  points,  but  that  one  bookcase  was  left 
clear.  This,  then,  might  be  the  door.  I  could  see  no  marks 
to  guide  me,  but  the  carpet  was  of  a  dun  colour,  which  lends 
itself  very  well  to  examination.  I  therefore  smoked  a  great 
number  of  those  excellent  cigarettes,  and  I  dropped  the  ash  all 
over  the  space  in  front  of  the  suspected  bookcase.  It  was 
a  simple  trick,  but  exceedingly  effective.  I  then  went  down- 
stairs, and  I  ascertained,  in  your  presence,  Watson,  without 
your  perceiving  the  drift  of  my  remarks,  that  Professor 
Coram's  consumption  of  food  had  increased  —  as  one  would 
expect  when  he  is  supplying  a  second  person.  We  then  as- 
cended to  the  room  again,  when,  by  upsetting  the  cigarette-box, 
I  obtained  a  very  excellent  view  of  the  floor,  and  was  able  to 
see  quite  clearly,  from  the  traces  upon  the  cigarette  ash,  that 


990  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

the  prisoner  had  in  our  absence  come  out  from  her  retreat. 
Well,  Hopkins,  here  we  are  at  Charing  Cross,  and  I  congratulate 
you  on  having  brought  your  case  to  a  successful  conclusion. 
You  are  going  to  headquarters,  no  doubt.  I  think,  Watson, 
you  and  I  will  drive  together  to  the  Russian  Embassy. " 


XI 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER 

W  E  were  fairly  accustomed  to  receive  weird  telegrams  at 
Baker  Street,  but  I  have  a  particular  recollection  of  one 
which  reached  us  on  a  gloomy  February  morning,  some  seven 
or  eight  years  ago,  and  gave  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes  a  puzzled 
quarter  of  an  hour.  It  was  addressed  to  him,  and  ran  thus : — 

"Please  await  me.  Terrible  misfortune.  Right  wing  three- 
quarter  missing,  indispensable  to-morrow.  —  OVERTON." 

"Strand  postmark,  and  dispatched  ten-thirty-six,"  said 
Holmes,  reading  it  over  and  over.  "  Mr.  Overton  was  evidently 
considerably  excited  when  he  sent  it,  and  somewhat  incoherent 
in  consequence.  Well,  well,  he  will  be  here,  I  dare  say,  by  the 
time  I  have  looked  through  the  Times,  and  then  we  shall  know 
all  about  it.  Even  the  most  insignificant  problem  would  be 
welcome  in  these  stagnant  days." 

Things  had  indeed  been  very  slow  with  us,  and  I  had  learned 
to  dread  such  periods  of  inaction,  for  I  knew  by  experience 
that  my  companion's  brain  was  so  abnormally  active  that  it 
was  dangerous  to  leave  it  without  material  upon  which  to 
work.  For  years  I  had  gradually  weaned  him  from  that  drug- 
mania  which  had  threatened  once  to  check  his  remarkable 


292       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

career.  Now  I  knew  that  under  ordinary  conditions  he  no 
longer  craved  for  this  artificial  stimulus,  but  I  was  well  aware 
that  the  fiend  was  not  dead  but  sleeping,  and  I  have  known 
that  the  sleep  was  a  light  one  and  the  waking  near  when  in 
periods  of  idleness  I  have  seen  the  drawn  look  upon  Holmes' 
ascetic  face,  and  the  brooding  of  his  deep-set  and  inscrutable 
eyes.  Therefore  I  blessed  this  Mr.  Overton,  whoever  he  might 
be,  since  he  had  come  with  his  enigmatic  message  to  break  that 
dangerous  calm  which  brought  more  peril  to  my  friend  than  all 
the  storms  of  his  tempestuous  life. 

As  we  had  expected,  the  telegram  was  soon  followed  by  its 
sender,  and  the  card  of  Mr.  Cyril  Overton,  Trinity  College, 
Cambridge,  announced  the  arrival  of  an  enormous  young  man, 
sixteen  stone  of  solid  bone  and  muscle,  who  spanned  the  door- 
way with  his  broad  shoulders,  and  looked  from  one  of  us  to  the 
other  with  a  comely  face  which  was  haggard  with  anxiety. 

"Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes?" 

My  companion  bowed. 

"I've  been  down  to  Scotland  Yard,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  saw 
Inspector  Stanley  Hopkins.  He  advised  me  to  come  to  you. 
He  said  the  case,  so  far  as  he  could  see,  was  more  in  your  line 
than  in  that  of  the  regular  police." 

"  Pray  sit  down  and  tell  me  what  is  the  matter." 

"  It's  awful,  Mr.  Holmes  —  simply  awful !  I  wonder  my  hair 
isn't  grey.  Godfrey  Staunton  —  you've  heard  of  him,  of 
course  ?  He's  simply  the  hinge  that  the  whole  team  turns  on. 
I'd  rather  spare  two  from  the  pack,  and  have  Godfrey  for  my 
three-quarter  line.  Whether  it's  passing,  or  tackling,  or  drib- 
bling, there's  no  one  to  touch  him,  and  then,  he's  got  the  head, 
and  can  hold  us  all  together.  What  am  I  to  do  ?  That's  what 
I  ask  you,  Mr.  Holmes.  There's  Moorhouse,  first  reserve, 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  293 

but  he  is  trained  as  a  half,  and  he  always  edges  right  in  on  to 
the  scrum  instead  of  keeping  out  on  the  touchline.  He's  a 
fine  place-kick,  it's  true,  but  then  he  has  no  judgment,  and  he 
can't  sprint  for  nuts.  Why,  Morton  or  Johnson,  the  Oxford 
fliers,  could  romp  round  him.  Stevenson  is  fast  enough,  but 
he  couldn't  drop  from  the  twenty-five  line,  and  a  three-quarter 
who  can't  either  punt  or  drop  isn't  worth  a  place  for  pace  alone. 
No,  Mr.  Holmes,  we  are  done  unless  you  can  help  me  to  find 
Godfrey  Staunton." 

My  friend  had  listened  with  amused  surprise  to  this  long 
speech,  which  was  poured  forth  with  extraordinary  vigour  and 
earnestness,  every  point  being  driven  home  by  the  slapping  of 
a  brawny  hand  upon  the  speaker's  knee.  When  our  visitor 
was  silent  Holmes  stretched  out  his  hand  and  took  down  letter 
"  S  "  of  his  commonplace  book.  For  once  he  dug  in  vain  into 
that  mine  of  varied  information. 

"There  is  Arthur  H.  Staunton,  the  rising  young  forger," 
said  he,  "and  there  was  Henry  Staunton,  whom  I  helped  to 
hang,  but  Godfrey  Staunton  is  a  new  name  to  me." 

It  was  our  visitor's  turn  to  look  surprised. 

"Why,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  thought  you  knew  things,"  said  he. 
"  I  suppose,  then,  if  you  have  never  heard  of  Godfrey  Staunton, 
you  don't  know  Cyril  Overton  either  ?  " 

Holmes  shook  his  head  good  humouredly. 

"  Great  Scot ! "  cried  the  athlete.  "  Why,  I  was  first  reserve 
for  England  against  Wales,  and  I've  skippered  the  'Varsity  all 
this  year.  But  that's  nothing!  I  didn't  think  there  was  a 
soul  in  England  who  didn't  know  Godfrey  Staunton,  the  crack 
three-quarter,  Cambridge,  Blackheath,  and  five  Internationals, 
Good  Lord !  Mr.  Holmes,  where  have  you  lived  ?  " 

Holmes  laughed  at  the  young  giant's  naive  astonishment. 


294       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  You  live  in  a  different  world  to  me,  Mr.  Overton — a  sweeter 
and  healthier  one.  My  ramifications  stretch  out  into  many 
sections  of  society,  but  never,  I  am  happy  to  say,  into  amateur 
sport,  which  is  the  best  and  soundest  thing  in  England.  How- 
ever, your  unexpected  visit  this  morning  shows  me  that  even 
in  that  world  of  fresh  air  and  fair  play,  there  may  be  work  for 
me  to  do.  So  now,  my  good  sir,  I  beg  you  to  sit  down  and  to  tell 
me,  slowly  and  quietly,  exactly  what  it  is  that  has  occurred,  and 
how  you  desire  that  I  should  help  you." 

Young  Overton's  face  assumed  the  bothered  look  of  the  man 
who  is  more  accustomed  to  using  his  muscles  than  his  wits, 
but  by  degrees,  with  many  repetitions  and  obscurities  which  I 
may  omit  from  his  narrative,  he  laid  his  strange  story  before  us. 

"  It's  this  way,  Mr.  Holmes.  As  I  have  said,  I  am  the  skip- 
per of  the  Rugger  team  of  Cambridge  'Varsity,  and  Godfrey 
Staunton  is  my  best  man.  To-morrow  we  play  Oxford.  Yes- 
terday we  all  came  up,  and  we  settled  at  Bentley's  private  hotel. 
At  ten  o'clock  I  went  round  and  saw  that  all  the  fellows  had 
gone  to  roost,  for  I  believe  in  strict  training  and  plenty  of  sleep 
to  keep  a  team  fit.  I  had  a  word  or  two  with  Godfrey  before 
he  turned  in.  He  seemed  to  me  to  be  pale  and  bothered.  I 
asked  him  what  was  the  matter.  He  said  he  was  all  right  — 
just  a  touch  of  headache.  I  bade  him  good-night  and  left 
him.  Half  an  hour  later,  the  porter  tells  me  that  a  rough-look- 
ing man  with  a  beard  called  with  a  note  for  Godfrey.  He  had 
not  gone  to  bed,  and  the  note  was  taken  to  his  room.  Godfrey 
read  it,  and  fell  back  in  a  chair  as  if  he  had  been  pole-axed. 
The  porter  was  so  scared  that  he  was  going  to  fetch  me,  but 
Godfrey  stopped  him,  had  a  drink  of  water,  and  pulled  him- 
self together.  Then  he  went  downstairs,  said  a  few  words 
to  the  man  who  was  waiting  in  the  hall,  and  the  two  of  them 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  295 

went  off  together.  The  last  that  the  porter  saw  of  them,  they 
were  almost  running  down  the  street  in  the  direction  of  the 
Strand.  This  morning  Godfrey's  room  was  empty,  his  bed 
had  never  been  slept  in,  and  his  things  were  all  just  as  I  had 
seen  them  the  night  before.  He  had  gone  off  at  a  moment's 
notice  with  this  stranger,  and  no  word  has  come  from  him 
since.  I  don't  believe  he  will  ever  come  back.  He  was  a 
sportsman,  was  Godfrey,  down  to  his  marrow,  and  he  wouldn't 
have  stopped  his  training  and  let  in  his  skipper  if  it  were  not 
for  some  cause  that  was  too  strong  for  him.  No :  I  feel  as  if  he 
were  gone  for  good,  and  we  should  never  see  him  again." 

Sherlock  Holmes  listened  with  the  deepest  attention  to  this 
singular  narrative. 

"  What  did  you  do  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  wired  to  Cambridge  to  learn  if  anything  had  been  heard 
of  him  there.  I  have  had  an  answer.  No  one  has  seen  him." 

"  Could  he  have  got  back  to  Cambridge  ?  " 

"  Yes,  there  is  a  late  train  —  quarter-past  eleven." 

"  But,  so  far  as  you  can  ascertain,  he  did  not  take  it  ?  " 

"  No,  he  has  not  been  seen." 

"  What  did  you  do  next  ?  " 

"  I  wired  to  Lord  Mount-James." 

"  Why  to  Lord  Mount-James  ?  " 

"  Godfrey  is  an  orphan,  and  Lord  Mount-James  is  his  nearest 
relative  —  his  uncle,  I  believe." 

"Indeed.  This  throws  new  light  upon  the  matter.  Lord 
Mount-James  is  one  of  the  richest  men  in  England." 

"  So  I've  heard  Godfrey  say." 

"  And  your  friend  was  closely  related  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  was  his  heir,  and  the  old  boy  is  nearly  eighty  — 


296       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

cram  full  of  gout,  too.  They  say  he  could  chalk  his  billiard- 
cue  with  his  knuckles.  He  never  allowed  Godfrey  a  shilling 
in  his  life,  for  he  is  an  absolute  miser,  but  it  will  all  come  to 
him  right  enough." 

"  Have  you  heard  from  Lord  Mount- James  ?  " 

"No." 

"What  motive  could  your  friend  have  in  going  to  Lord 
Mount- James  ?  " 

"  Well,  something  was  worrying  him  the  night  before,  and  if 
it  was  to  do  with  money  it  is  possible  that  he  would  make  for 
his  nearest  relative  who  had  so  much  of  it,  though  from  all  I 
have  heard  he  would  not  have  much  chance  of  getting  it.  God- 
frey was  not  fond  of  the  old  man.  He  would  not  go  if  he  could 
help  it." 

"Well,  we  can  soon  determine  that.  If  your  friend  was 
going  to  his  relative,  Lord  Mount- James,  you  have  then  to 
explain  the  visit  of  this  rough-looking  fellow  at  so  late  an  hour, 
and  the  agitation  that  was  caused  by  his  coming." 

Cyril  Overton  pressed  his  hands  to  his  head.  "  I  can  make 
nothing  of  it,"  said  he. 

"  Well,  well,  I  have  a  clear  day,  and  I  shall  be  happy  to  look 
into  the  matter,"  said  Holmes.  "  I  should  strongly  recommend 
you  to  make  your  preparations  for  your  match  without  refer- 
ence to  this  young  gentleman.  It  must,  as  you  say,  have  been 
an  overpowering  necessity  which  tore  him  away  in  such  a 
fashion,  and  the  same  necessity  is  likely  to  hold  him  away. 
Let  us  step  round  together  to  the  hotel,  and  see  if  the  porter 
can  throw  any  fresh  light  upon  the  matter." 

Sherlock  Holmes  was  a  past-master  in  the  art  of  putting  a 
humble  witness  at  his  ease,  and  very  soon,  in  the  privacy  of 
Godfrey  Staunton's  abandoned  room,  he  had  extracted  aj1 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  297 

that  the  porter  had  to  tell.  The  visitor  of  the  night  before  was 
not  a  gentleman,  neither  was  he  a  workingman.  He  was 
simply  what  the  porter  described  as  a  "  medium-looking  chap  ", 
a  man  of  fifty,  beard  grizzled,  pale  face,  quietly  dressed.  He 
seemed  himself  to  be  agitated.  The  porter  had  observed  his 
hand  trembling  when  he  had  held  out  the  note.  Godfrey 
Staunton  had  crammed  the  note  into  his  pocket.  Staunton 
had  not  shaken  hands  with  the  man  in  the  hall.  They  had 
exchanged  a  few  sentences,  of  which  the  porter  had  only  dis- 
tinguished the  one  word  "  time."  Then  they  had  hurried  off  in 
the  manner  described.  It  was  just  half -past  ten  by  the  hall  clock. 

"Let  me  see,"  said  Holmes,  seating  himself  on  Staunton's 
bed.  "  You  are  the  day  porter,  are  you  not  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  I  go  off  duty  at  eleven." 

"  The  night  porter  saw  nothing,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  one  theatre  party  came  in  late.     No  one  else." 

"  Were  you  on  duty  all  day  yesterday  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Did  you  take  any  messages  to  Mr.  Staunton  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  one  telegram." 

"  Ah !  that's  interesting.     What  o'clock  was  this  ?  " 

"  About  six." 

"  Where  was  Mr.  Staunton  when  he  received  it  ?  " 

"  Here  in  his  room."        , 

"  Were  you  present  when  he  opened  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  waited  to  see  if  there  was  an  answer." 

"  Well,  was  there  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  wrote  an  answer." 

"  Did  you  take  it  ?  " 

"  No,  he  took  it  himself." 

"  But  he  wrote  it  in  your  presence  ?  " 


298  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Yes,  sir.  I  was  standing  by  the  door,  and  he  with  his  back 
turned  at  that  table.  When  he  had  written  it,  he  said:  'All 
right,  porter,  I  will  take  this  myself.' " 

"  What  did  he  write  it  with  ?  " 

"A  pen,  sir." 

"  Was  the  telegraphic  form  one  of  these  on  the  table  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  was  the  top  one." 

Holmes  rose.  Taking  the  forms,  he  carried  them  over 
to  the  window  and  carefully  examined  that  which  was  up- 
permost. 

"  It  is  a  pity  he  did  not  write  in  pencil,"  said  he,  throwing 
them  down  again  with  a  shrug  of  disappointment.  "As  you 
have  no  doubt  frequently  observed,  Watson,  the  impression 
usually  goes  through  —  a  fact  which  has  dissolved  many  a 
happy  marriage.  However,  I  can  find  no  trace  here.  I  re- 
joice, however,  to  perceive  that  he  wrote  with  a  broad-pointed 
quill  pen,  and  I  can  hardly  doubt  that  we  will  find  some  im- 
pression upon  this  blotting-pad.  Ah,  yes,  surely  this  is  the  very 
thing!" 

He  tore  off  a  strip  of  the  blotting-paper  and  turned  towards 
us  the  following  hieroglyphic : — 


Cyril  Overton  was  much  excited.     "  Hold  it  to  the  glass ! " 
he  cried. 

"  That  is  unnecessary,"  said  Holmes.     "  The  paper  is  thin, 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  299 

and  the  reverse  will  give  the  message.     Here  it  is."     He  turned 
it  over,  and  we  read : — 


"  So  that  is  the  tail  end  of  the  telegram  which  Godfrey  Staim- 
ton  dispatched  within  a  few  hours  of  his  disappearance.  There 
are  at  least  six  words  of  the  message  which  have  escaped  us; 
but  what  remains  —  '  Stand  by  us  for  God's  sake ! '  —  proves 
that  this  young  man  saw  a  formidable  danger  which  approached 
him,  and  from  which  someone  else  could  protect  him.  '  Us,' 
mark  you !  Another  person  was  involved.  Who  should  it  be 
but  the  pale-faced,  bearded  man,  who  seemed  himself  in  so 
nervous  a  state  ?  What,  then,  is  the  connection  between  God- 
frey Staunton  and  the  bearded  man  ?  And  what  is  the  third 
source  from  which  each  of  them  sought  for  help  against  pressing 
danger  ?  Our  inquiry  has  already  narrowed  down  to  that." 

"We  have  only  to  find  to  whom  that  telegram  is  addressed," 
I  suggested. 

"  Exactly,  my  dear  Watson.  Your  reflection,  though  pro- 
found, had  already  crossed  my  mind.  But  I  dare  say  it  may 
have  come  to  your  notice  that,  if  you  walk  into  a  post-office  and 
demand  to  see  the  counterfoil  of  another  man's  message,  there 
may  be  some  disinclination  on  the  part  of  the  officials  to  oblige 
you.  There  is  so  much  red  tape  in  these  matters.  However, 
I  have  no  doubt  that  with  a  little  delicacy  and  finesse  the  end 
may  be  attained.  Meanwhile,  I  should  like  in  your  presence, 


300       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Mr.  Overton,  to  go  through  these  papers  which  have  been  left 
upon  the  table." 

There  were  a  number  of  letters,  bills,  and  note-books,  which 
Holmes  turned  over  and  examined  with  quick,  nervous  fingers 
and  darting,  penetrating  eyes.  "  Nothing  here,"  he  said,  at  last. 
"  By  the  way,  I  suppose  your  friend  was  a  healthy  young  fel- 
low —  nothing  amiss  with  him  ?  " 

"Sound  as  a  bell." 

"  Have  you  ever  known  him  ill  ?  " 

"  Not  a  day.  He  has  been  laid  up  with  a  hack,  and  once  he 
slipped  his  knee-cap,  but  that  was  nothing." 

"Perhaps  he  was  not  so  strong  as  you  suppose.  I  should 
think  he  may  have  had  some  secret  trouble.  With  your  assent, 
I  will  put  one  or  two  of  these  papers  in  my  pocket,  in  case  they 
should  bear  upon  our  future  inquiry." 

"  One  moment  —  one  moment ! "  cried  a  querulous  voice,  and 
we  looked  up  to  find  a  queer  little  old  man,  jerking  and  twitch- 
ing in  the  doorway.  He  was  dressed  in  rusty  black,  with  a  very 
broad  brimmed  top-hat  and  a  loose  white  necktie  —  the  whole 
effect  being  that  of  a  very  rustic  parson  or  of  an  undertaker's 
mute.  Yet,  in  spite  of  his  shabby  and  even  absurd  appearance, 
his  voice  had  a  sharp  crackle,  and  his  manner  a  quick  intensity 
which  commanded  attention. 

"Who  are  you,  sir,  and  by  what  right  do  you  touch  this 
gentleman's  papers  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  am  a  private  detective,  and  I  am  endeavouring  to  explain 
his  disappearance." 

"  Oh,  you  are,  are  you  ?    And  who  instructed  you,  eh  ?  " 

"This  gentleman,  Mr.  Staunton's  friend,  was  referred  to  me 
by  Scotland  Yard." 

"  Who  are  you,  sir  ?  " 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  801 

"  I  am  Cyril  Overtoil." 

"  Then  it  is  you  who  sent  me  a  telegram.  My  name  is  Lord 
Mount-James.  I  came  round  as  quickly  as  the  Bayswater 
'bus  would  bring  me.  So  you  have  instructed  a  detective  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  And  are  you  prepared  to  meet  the  cost  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  sir,  that  my  friend  Godfrey,  when  we  find 
him,  will  be  prepared  to  do  that." 

"  But  if  he  is  never  found,  eh  ?    Answer  me  that ! " 

"  In  that  case,  no  doubt  his  family  —  " 

"  Nothing  of  the  sort,  sir! "  screamed  the  little  man.  "  Don't 
look  to  me  for  a  penny  —  not  a  penny !  You  understand  that, 
Mr.  Detective!  I  am  all  the  family  that  this  young  man  has 
got,  and  I  tell  you  that  I  am  not  responsible.  If  he  has  any 
expectations  it  is  due  to  the  fact  that  I  have  never  wasted  money, 
and  I  do  not  propose  to  begin  to  do  so  now.  As  to  those  papers 
with  which  you  are  making  so  free,  I  may  tell  you  that  in  case 
there  should  be  anything  of  any  value  among  them,  you  will  be 
held  strictly  to  account  for  what  you  do  with  them." 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  said  Sherlock  Holmes.  "  May  I  ask,  in  the 
meanwhile,  whether  you  have  yourself  any  theory  to  account 
for  this  young  man's  disappearance  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  I  have  not.  He  is  big  enough  and  old  enough  to 
look  after  himself,  and  if  he  is  so  foolish  as  to  lose  himself, 
I  entirely  refuse  to  accept  the  responsibility  of  hunting  for 
him." 

"  I  quite  understand  your  position,"  said  Holmes,  with  a  mis- 
chievous twinkle  in  his  eyes.  "  Perhaps  you  don't  quite  under- 
stand mine.  Godfrey  Staunton  appears  to  have  been  a  poor 
man.  If  he  has  been  kidnapped,  it  could  not  have  been  for 
anything  which  he  himself  possesses.  The  fame  of  your  wealth 


SOS  THE  RETURN  OP  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

has  gone  abroad,  Lord  Mount- James,  and  it  is  entirely  possible 
that  a  gang  of  thieves  have  secured  your  nephew  in  order  to 
gain  from  him  some  information  as  to  your  house,  your 
habits,  and  your  treasure." 

The  face  of  our  unpleasant  little  visitor  turned  as  white  as 
his  neckcloth. 

"  Heavens,  sir,  what  an  idea !  I  never  thought  of  such  vil- 
lainy! What  inhuman  rogues  there  are  in  the  world!  But 
Godfrey  is  a  fine  lad  —  a  staunch  lad.  Nothing  would  induce 
him  to  give  his  old  uncle  away.  I'll  have  the  plate  moved  over 
to  the  bank  this  evening.  In  the  meantime  spare  no  pains,  Mr. 
Detective !  I  beg  you  to  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  bring  him 
safely  back.  As  to  money,  well,  so  far  as  a  fiver,  or  even  a 
tenner  goes  you  can  always  look  to  me." 

Even  in  his  chastened  frame  of  mind,  the  noble  miser  could 
give  us  no  information  which  could  help  us,  for  he  knew  little 
of  the  private  life  of  his  nephew.  Our  only  clue  lay  in  the  trun- 
cated telegram,  and  with  a  copy  of  this  in  his  hand  Holmes  set 
forth  to  find  a  second  link  for  his  chain.  We  had  shaken  off 
Lord  Mount-James,  and  Overton  had  gone  to  consult  with  the 
other  members  of  his  team  over  the  misfortune  which  had 
befallen  them. 

There  was  a  telegraph-office  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
hotel.  We  halted  outside  it. 

"It's  worth  trying,  Watson,"  said  Holmes.  "Of  course, 
with  a  warrant  we  could  demand  to  see  the  counterfoils,  but  we 
have  not  reached  that  stage  yet.  I  don't  suppose  they  remem- 
ber faces  in  so  busy  a  place.  Let  us  venture  it." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you,"  said  he,  in  his  blandest  manner, 
to  the  young  woman  behind  the  grating ;  "  there  is  some  small 
mistake  about  a  telegram  I  sent  yesterday.  I  have  had  no 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  303 

answer,  and  I  very  much  fear  that  I  must  have  omitted  to  put 
my  name  at  the  end.  Could  you  tell  me  if  this  was  so  ?  " 

The  young  woman  turned  over  a  sheaf  of  counterfoils. 

"  What  o'clock  was  it  ?  "  she  asked. 

"A  little  after  six." 

"Whom  was  it  to?" 

Holmes  put  his  finger  to  his  lips  and  glanced  at  me.  "  The 
last  words  in  it  were  '  for  God's  sake,' "  he  whispered,  confi- 
dentially; "  I  am  very  anxious  at  getting  no  answer." 

The  young  woman  separated  one  of  the  forms. 

"  This  is  it.  There  is  no  name,"  said  she,  smoothing  it  out 
upon  the  counter. 

"  Then  that,  of  course,  accounts  for  my  getting  no  answer," 
said  Holmes.  "Dear  me,  how  very  stupid  of  me,  to  be  sure! 
Good  morning,  miss,  and  many  thanks  for  having  relieved  my 
mind."  He  chuckled  and  rubbed  his  hands  when  we  found 
ourselves  in  the  street  once  more. 

"Well?"  I  asked. 

"  We  progress,  my  dear  Watson,  we  progress.  I  had  seven 
different  schemes  for  getting  a  glimpse  of  that  telegram,  but  I 
could  hardly  hope  to  succeed  the  very  first  time." 

"  And  what  have  you  gained  ?  " 

"  A  starting-point  for  our  investigation."  He  hailed  a  cab. 
"  King's  Cross  Station,"  said  he. 

"  We  have  a  journey,  then  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  we  must  run  down  to  Cambridge  together.  All 
the  indications  seem  to  me  to  point  in  that  direction." 

"  Tell  me,"  I  asked,  as  we  rattled  up  Gray's  Inn  Road,  "  have 
you  any  suspicion  yet  as  to  the  cause  of  the  disappearance  ?  I 
don't  think  that  among  all  our  cases  I  have  known  one  where 
the  motives  are  more  obscure.  Surely  you  don't  really  imagine 


804  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

that  he  may  be  kidnapped  in  order  to  give  information  against 
his  wealthy  uncle  ?  " 

"  I  confess,  my  dear  Watson,  that  that  does  not  appeal  to  me 
as  a  very  probable  explanation.  It  struck  me,  however,  as 
being  the  one  which  was  most  likely  to  interest  that  exceedingly 
unpleasant  old  person." 

"  It  certainly  did  that ;  but  what  are  your  alternatives  ?  " 
"  I  could  mention  several.  You  must  admit  that  it  is  curious 
and  suggestive  that  this  incident  should  occur  on  the  eve  of 
this  important  match,  and  should  involve  the  only  man  whose 
presence  seems  essential  to  the  success  of  the  side.  It  may, 
of  course,  be  a  coincidence,  but  it  is  interesting.  Amateur  sport 
is  free  from  betting,  but  a  good  deal  of  outside  betting  goes  on 
among  the  public,  and  it  is  possible  that  it  might  be  worth 
someone's  while  to  get  at  a  player  as  the  ruffians  of  the  turf  get 
at  a  race-horse.  There  is  one  explanation.  A  second  very 
obvious  one  is  that  this  young  man  really  is  the  heir  of  a  great 
property,  however  modest  his  means  may  at  present  be,  and  it 
is  not  impossible  that  a  plot  to  hold  him  for  ransom  might  be 
concocted." 

"  These  theories  take  no  account  of  the  telegram." 
"  Quite  true,  Watson.  The  telegram  still  remains  the  only 
solid  thing  with  which  we  have  to  deal,  and  we  must  not  permit 
our  attention  to  wander  away  from  it.  It  is  to  gain  light  upon 
the  purpose  of  this  telegram  that  we  are  now  upon  our  way 
to  Cambridge.  The  path  of  our  investigation  is  at  present 
obscure,  but  I  shall  be  very  much  surprised  if  before  evening 
we  have  not  cleared  it  up,  or  made  a  considerable  advance 
along  it." 

It  was  already  dark  when  we  reached  the  old  University  City. 
Holmes  took  a  cab  at  the  station,  and  ordered  the  man  to  drive 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  305 

to  the  house  of  Dr.  Leslie  Armstrong.  A  few  minutes  later,  we 
had  stopped  at  a  large  mansion  in  the  busiest  thoroughfare. 
We  were  shown  in,  and  after  a  long  wait  were  at  last  admitted 
into  the  consulting-room,  where  we  found  the  doctor  seated 
behind  his  table. 

It  argues  the  degree  in  which  I  had  lost  touch  with  my  pro- 
fession that  the  name  of  Leslie  Armstrong  was  unknown  to 
me.  Now  I  am  aware  that  he  is  not  only  one  of  the  heads  of 
the  medical  school  of  the  University,  but  a  thinker  of  European 
reputation  in  more  than  one  branch  of  science.  Yet  even  with- 
out knowing  his  brilliant  record  one  could  not  fail  to  be  im- 
pressed by  a  mere  glance  at  the  man,  the  square,  massive  face, 
the  brooding  eyes  under  the  thatched  brows,  and  the  granite 
moulding  of  the  inflexible  jaw.  A  man  of  deep  character,  a 
man  with  an  alert  mind,  grim,  ascetic,  self-contained,  formi- 
dable —  so  I  read  Dr.  Leslie  Armstrong.  He  held  my  friend's 
card  in  his  hand,  and  he  looked  up  with  no  very  pleased 
expression  upon  his  dour  features. 

"I  have  heard  your  name,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes,  and  I 
am  aware  of  your  profession  —  one  of  which  I  by  no  means 
approve." 

"  In  that,  Doctor,  you  will  find  yourself  in  agreement  with 
every  criminal  in  the  country,"  said  my  friend,  quietly. 

"  So  far  as  your  efforts  are  directed  towards  the  suppression 
of  crime,  sir,  they  must  have  the  support  of  every  reasonable 
member  of  the  community,  though  I  cannot  doubt  that  the 
official  machinery  is  amply  sufficient  for  the  purpose.  Where 
your  calling  is  more  open  to  criticism  is  when  you  pry  into  the 
secrets  of  private  individuals,  when  you  rake  up  family  matters 
which  are  better  hidden,  and  when  you  incidentally  waste  the 
time  of  men  who  are  more  busy  than  yourself.  At  the  present 


306       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

moment,  for  example,  I  should  be  writing  a  treatise  instead  of 
conversing  with  you." 

"  No  doubt,  Doctor;  and  yet  the  conversation  may  prove  more 
important  than  the  treatise.  Incidentally,  I  may  tell  you  that 
we  are  doing  the  reverse  of  what  you  very  justly  blame,  and  that 
we  are  endeavouring  to  prevent  anything  like  public  exposure  of 
private  matters  which  must  necessarily  follow  when  once  the 
case  is  fairly  in  the  hands  of  the  official  police.  You  may  look 
upon  me  simply  as  an  irregular  pioneer,  who  goes  in  front  of  the 
regular  forces  of  the  country.  I  have  come  to  ask  you  about 
Mr.  Godfrey  Staunton." 

"What  about  him?" 

"  You  know  him,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  He  is  an  intimate  friend  of  mine." 

"  You  are  aware  that  he  has  disappeared  ?  " 

"Ah,  indeed!"  There  was  no  change  of  expression  in  the 
rugged  features  of  the  doctor. 

"  He  left  his  hotel  last  night  —  he  has  not  been  heard  of." 

"  No  doubt  he  will  return." 

"To-morrow  is  the  'Varsity  football  match." 

"I  have  no  sympathy  with  these  childish  games.  The 
young  man's  fate  interests  me  deeply,  since  I  know  him  and 
like  him.  The  football  match  does  not  come  within  my 
horizon  at  all." 

"I  claim  your  sympathy,  then,  in  my  investigation  of  Mr. 
Staunton's  fate.  Do  you  know  where  he  is  ?  " 

"Certainly  not." 

"  You  have  not  seen  him  since  yesterday  ?  " 

"No,  I  have  not." 

"  Was  Mr.  Staunton  a  healthy  man  ?  " 

"Absolutely." 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  807 

"  Did  you  ever  know  him  ill  ?  " 

"Never." 

Holmes  popped  a  sheet  of  paper  before  the  doctor's  eyes. 
"  Then  perhaps  you  will  explain  this  receipted  bill  for  thirteen 
guineas,  paid  by  Mr.  Godfrey  Staunton  last  month  to  Dr.  Les- 
lie Armstrong,  of  Cambridge.  I  picked  it  out  from  among  the 
papers  upon  his  desk." 

The  doctor  flushed  with  anger. 

"  I  do  not  feel  that  there  is  any  reason  why  I  should  render 
an  explanation  to  you,  Mr.  Holmes." 

Holmes  replaced  the  bill  in  his  note-book.  "  If  you  prefer 
a  public  explanation,  it  must  come  sooner  or  later,"  said  he. 
"  I  have  already  told  you  that  I  can  hush  up  that  which  others 
will  be  bound  to  publish,  and  you  would  really  be  wiser  to  take 
me  into  your  complete  confidence." 

"  I  know  nothing  about  it." 

"  Did  you  hear  from  Mr.  Staunton  in  London  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not." 

"  Dear  me,  dear  me  —  the  post-office  again ! "  Holmes  sighed, 
wearily.  "A  most  urgent  telegram  was  dispatched  to  you 
from  London  by  Godfrey  Staunton  at  six-fifteen  yesterday 
evening  —  a  telegram  which  is  undoubtedly  associated  with  his 
disappearance  —  and  yet  you  have  not  had  it.  It  is  most  cul- 
pable. I  shall  certainly  go  down  to  the  office  here  and  register 
a  complaint." 

Dr.  Leslie  Armstrong  sprang  up  from  behind  his  desk,  and 
his  dark  face  was  crimson  with  fury. 

"  I'll  trouble  you  to  walk  out  of  my  house,  sir,"  said  he.  "  You 
can  tell  your  employer,  Lord  Mount- James,  that  I  do  not  wish 
to  have  anything  to  do  either  with  him  or  with  his  agents.  No, 
sir  —  not  another  word ! "  He  rang  the  bell  furiously.  "  John, 


308  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

show  these  gentlemen  out."  A  pompous  butler  ushered  us 
severely  to  the  door,  and  we  found  ourselves  in  the  street. 
Holmes  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Dr.  Leslie  Armstrong  is  certainly  a  man  of  energy  and  char- 
acter," said  he.  "  I  have  not  seen  a  man  who,  if  he  turns  his 
talents  that  way,  was  more  calculated  to  fill  the  gap  left  by  the 
illustrious  Moriarity.  And  now,  my  poor  Watson,  here  we  are, 
stranded  and  friendless  in  this  inhospitable  town,  which  we 
cannot  leave  without  abandoning  our  case.  This  little  inn  just 
opposite  Armstrong's  house  is  singularly  adapted  to  our  needs. 
If  you  would  engage  a  front  room  and  purchase  the  necessaries 
for  the  night,  I  may  have  time  to  make  a  few  inquiries." 

These  few  inquiries  proved,  however,  to  be  a  more  lengthy 
proceeding  than  Holmes  had  imagined,  for  he  did  not  return  to 
the  inn  until  nearly  nine  o'clock.  He  was  pale  and  dejected, 
stained  with  dust,  and  exhausted  with  hunger  and  fatigue.  A 
cold  supper  was  ready  upon  the  table,  and  when  his  needs  were 
satisfied  and  his  pipe  alight  he  was  ready  to  take  that  half  comic 
and  wholly  philosophic  view  which  was  natural  to  him  when  his 
affairs  were  going  awry.  The  sound  of  carriage  wheels  caused 
him  to  rise  and  glance  out  of  the  window.  A  brougham  and 
pair  of  greys,  under  the  glare  of  a  gas-lamp,  stood  before  the 
doctor's  door. 

"It's  been  out  three  hours,"  said  Holmes;  "started  at  half- 
past  six,  and  here  it  is  back  again.  That  gives  a  radius 
of  ten  or  twelve  miles,  and  he  does  it  once,  or  sometimes 
twice,  a  day." 

"  No  unusual  thing  for  a  doctor  in  practice." 

"But  Armstrong  is  not  really  a  doctor  in  practice.  He  is 
a  lecturer  and  a  consultant,  but  he  does  not  care  for  general 
practice,  which  distracts  him  from  his  literary  work.  Why, 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  309 

then,  does  he  make  these  long  journeys,  which  must  be  exceed- 
ingly irksome  to  him,  and  who  is  it  that  he  visits  ?  " 

"  His  coachman  — " 

"  My  dear  Watson,  can  you  doubt  that  it  was  to  him  that  I 
first  applied  ?  I  do  not  know  whether  it  came  from  his  own 
innate  depravity  or  from  the  promptings  of  his  master,  but  he 
was  rude  enough  to  set  a  dog  at  me.  Neither  dog  nor  man 
liked  the  look  of  my  stick,  however,  and  the  matter  fell  through. 
Relations  were  strained  after  that,  and  further  inquiries  out  of 
the  question.  All  that  I  have  learned  I  got  from  a  friendly 
native  in  the  yard  of  our  own  inn.  It  was  he  who  told  me  of  the 
doctor's  habits  and  of  his  daily  journey.  At  that  instant,  to 
give  point  to  his  words,  the  carriage  came  round  to  the  door." 

"  Could  you  not  foUow  it  ?  " 

"Excellent,  Watson!  You  are  scintillating  this  evening. 
The  idea  did  cross  my  mind.  There  is,  as  you  may  have  ob- 
served, a  bicycle  shop  next  to  our  inn.  Into  this  I  rushed,  en- 
gaged a  bicycle,  and  was  able  to  get  started  before  the  carriage 
was  quite  out  of  sight.  I  rapidly  overtook  it,  and  then,  keeping 
at  a  discreet  distance  of  a  hundred  yards  or  so  I  followed  its  lights 
until  we  were  clear  of  the  town.  We  had  got  well  out  on  the 
country  road,  when  a  somewhat  mortifying  incident  occurred. 
The  carriage  stopped,  the  doctor  alighted,  walked  swiftly 
back  to  where  I  had  also  halted,  and  told  me  in  an  excellent 
sardonic  fashion  that  he  feared  the  road  was  narrow,  and  that 
he  hoped  his  carriage  did  not  impede  the  passage  of  my  bicycle. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  admirable  than  his  way  of  put- 
ting it.  I  at  once  rode  past  the  carriage,  and,  keeping  to  the 
main  road,  I  went  on  for  a  few  miles,  and  then  halted  in  a  con- 
venient place  to  see  if  the  carriage  passed.  There  was  no  sign 
of  it,  however,  and  so  it  became  evident  that  it  had  turned  down 


310       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

one  of  several  side  roads  which  I  had  observed.  I  rode  back, 
but  again  saw  nothing  of  the  carriage,  and  now,  as  you  per- 
ceive, it  has  returned  after  me.  Of  course,  I  had  at  the  outset 
no  particular  reason  to  connect  these  journeys  with  the  dis- 
appearance of  Godfrey  Staunton,  and  was  only  inch'ned  to  in- 
vestigate them  on  the  general  grounds  that  everything  which 
concerns  Dr.  Armstrong  is  at  present  of  interest  to  us,  but, 
now  that  I  find  he  keeps  so  keen  a  look-out  upon  anyone  who 
may  follow  him  on  these  excursions,  the  affair  appears  more 
important,  and  I  shall  not  be  satisfied  until  I  have  made  the 
matter  clear." 

"  We  can  follow  him  to-morrow." 

"  Can  we  ?  It  is  not  so  easy  as  you  seem  to  think.  You  are 
not  familiar  with  Cambridgeshire  scenery,  are  you  ?  It  does 
not  lend  itself  to  concealment.  All  this  country  that  I  passed 
over  to-night  is  as  flat  and  clean  as  the  palm  of  your  hand,  and 
the  man  we  are  following  is  no  fool,  as  he  very  clearly  showed 
to-night.  I  have  wired  to  Overton  to  let  us  know  any  fresh 
London  developments  at  this  address,  and  in  the  meantime 
we  can  only  concentrate  our  attention  upon  Dr.  Armstrong, 
whose  name  the  obliging  young  lady  at  the  office  allowed  me 
to  read  upon  the  counterfoil  of  Staunton's  urgent  message.  He 
knows  where  the  young  man  is  —  to  that  I'll  swear,  and  if 
he  knows,  then  it  must  be  our  own  fault  if  we  cannot  manage 
to  know  also.  At  present  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  odd 
trick  is  in  his  possession,  and,  as  you  are  aware,  Watson,  it  is 
not  my  habit  to  leave  the  game  in  that  condition." 

And  yet  the  next  day  brought  us  no  nearer  to  the  solution  of 
the  mystery.  A  note  was  handed  in  after  breakfast,  which 
Holmes  passed  across  to  me  with  a  smile. 

"  Sir,"  it  ran,  "  I  can  assure  you  that  you  are  wasting  your 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  311 

time  in  dogging  my  movements.  I  have,  as  you  discovered 
last  night,  a  window  at  the  back  of  my  brougham,  and  if  you 
desire  a  twenty-mile  ride  which  will  lead  you  to  the  spot  from 
which  you  started,  you  have  only  to  follow  me.  Meanwhile, 
I  can  inform  you  that  no  spying  upon  me  can  in  any  way  help 
Mr.  Godfrey  Staunton,  and  I  am  convinced  that  the  best  ser- 
vice you  can  do  to  that  gentleman  is  to  return  at  once  to  London 
and  to  report  to  your  employer  that  you  are  unable  to  trace  him. 
Your  time  in  Cambridge  will  certainly  be  wasted. 
"Yours  faithfully, 

"LESLIE  ARMSTRONG." 

"An  outspoken,  honest  antagonist  is  the  doctor,"  said 
Holmes.  "  Well,  well,  he  excites  my  curiosity,  and  I  must  really 
know  before  I  leave  him." 

"  His  carriage  is  at  his  door  now,"  said  I.  "  There  he  is  step- 
ping into  it.  I  saw  him  glance  up  at  our  window  as  he  did  so. 
Suppose  I  try  my  luck  upon  the  bicycle  ?" 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  Watson !  With  all  respect  for  your  natural 
acumen,  I  do  not  think  that  you  are  quite  a  match  for  the  worthy 
doctor.  I  think  that  possibly  I  can  attain  our  end  by  some  in- 
dependent explorations  of  my  own.  I  am  afraid  that  I  mflst 
leave  you  to  your  own  devices,  as  the  appearance  of  two  inquir- 
ing strangers  upon  a  sleepy  countryside  might  excite  more  gos- 
sip than  I  care  for.  No  doubt  you  will  find  some  sights  to 
amuse  you  in  this  venerable  city,  and  I  hope  to  bring  back  a 
more  favourable  report  to  you  before  evening." 

Once  more,  however,  my  friend  was  destined  to  be  disap- 
pointed. He  came  back  at  night  weary  and  unsuccessful. 

"  I  have  had  a  blank  day,  Watson.  Having  got  the  doctor's 
general  direction,  I  spent  the  day  in  visiting  all  the  villages 
upon  that  side  of  Cambridge,  and  comparing  notes  with  pub- 


312  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

licans  and  other  local  news  agencies.  I  have  covered  some 
ground.  Chesterton,  Histon,  Waterbeach,  and  Oakington  have 
each  been  explored,  and  have  each  proved  disappointing.  The 
daily  appearance  of  a  brougham  and  pair  could  hardly  have 
been  overlooked  in  such  Sleepy  Hollows.  The  doctor  has 
scored  once  more.  Is  there  a  telegram  for  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  opened  it.  Here  it  is:  'Ask  for  Pompey  from 
Jeremy  Dixon,  Trinity  College.'  I  don't  understand  it." 

"Oh,  it  is  clear  enough.  It  is  from  our  friend  Overton, 
and  is  in  answer  to  a  question  from  me.  I'll  just  send  round 
a  note  to  Mr.  Jeremy  Dixon,  and  then  I  have  no  doubt 
that  our  luck  will  turn.  By  the  way,  is  there  any  news  of 
the  match?" 

"Yes,  the  local  evening  paper  has  an  excellent  account  in 
its  last  edition.  Oxford  won  by  a  goal  and  two  tries.  The 
last  sentences  of  the  description  say:  '  The  defeat  of  the  Light 
Blues  may  be  entirely  attributed  to  the  unfortunate  absence 
of  the  crack  International,  Godfrey  Staunton,  whose  want  was 
felt  at  every  instant  of  the  game.  The  lack  of  combination 
in  the  three-quarter  line  and  their  weakness  both  in  attack 
a*hd  defence  more  than  neutralized  the  efforts  of  a  heavy  and 
hard-working  pack.' " 

"  Then  our  friend  Overton's  forebodings  have  been  justified," 
said  Holmes.  "  Personally  I  am  in  agreement  with  Dr.  Arm- 
strong, and  football  does  not  come  within  my  horizon.  Early 
to  bed  to-night,  Watson,  for  I  foresee  that  to-morrow  may  be 
an  eventful  day." 

I  was  horrified  by  my  first  glimpse  of  Holmes  next  morning, 
for  he  sat  by  the  fire  holding  his  tiny  hypodermic  syringe.  I 
associated  that  instrument  with  the  single  weakness  of  his  na- 
ture, and  I  feared  the  worst  when  I  saw  it  glittering  in  his 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  313 

hand.  He  laughed  at  my  expression  of  dismay,  and  laid  it 
upon  the  table. 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  fellow,  there  is  no  cause  for  alarm.  It  is 
not  upon  this  occasion  the  instrument  of  evil,  but  it  will  rather 
prove  to  be  the  key  which  will  unlock  our  mystery.  On  this 
syringe  I  base  all  my  hopes.  I  have  just  returned  from  a  small 
scouting  expedition,  and  everything  is  favourable.  Eat  a  good 
breakfast,  Watson,  for  I  propose  to  get  upon  Dr.  Armstrong's 
trail  to-day,  and  once  on  it  I  will  not  stop  for  rest  or  food  until 
I  run  him  to  his  burrow." 

"In  that  case,"  said  I,  "we  had  best  carry  our  breakfast 
with  us,  for  he  is  making  an  early  start.  His  carriage  is  at 
the  door." 

"Never  mind.  Let  him  go.  He  will  be  clever  if  he  can 
drive  where  I  cannot  follow  him.  When  you  have  finished, 
come  downstairs  with  me,  and  I  will  introduce  you  to  a  detec- 
tive who  is  a  very  eminent  specialist  in  the  work  that  lies  before 
us." 

When  we  descended  I  followed  Holmes  into  the  stable  yard, 
where  he  opened  the  door  of  a  loose-box  and  led  out  a  squat, 
lop-eared,  white-and-tan  dog,  something  between  a  beagle  and 
a  foxhound. 

"Let  me  introduce  you  to  Pompey,"  said  he.  "Pompey  is 
the  pride  of  the  local  draghounds  —  no  very  great  flier,  as  his 
build  will  show,  but  a  staunch  hound  on  a  scent.  Well,  Pom- 
pey, you  may  not  be  fast,  but  I  expect  you  will  be  too  fast  for 
a  couple  of  middle-aged  London  gentlemen,  so  I  will  take  the 
liberty  of  fastening  this  leather  leash  to  your  collar.  Now, 
boy,  come  along,  and  show  what  you  can  do."  He  led  him 
across  to  the  doctor's  door.  The  dog  sniffed  round  for  an  in- 
stant, and  then  with  a  shrill  whine  of  excitement  started  off 


314  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

down  the  street,  tugging  at  his  leash  in  his  efforts  to  go  faster. 
In  half  an  hour,  we  were  clear  of  the  town  and  hastening  down 
a  country  road. 

"  What  have  you  done,  Holmes  ?  "  I  asked. 

"A  threadbare  and  venerable  device,  but  useful  upon  occa- 
sion. I  walked  into  the  doctor's  yard  this  morning,  and  shot 
my  syringe  full  of  aniseed  over  the  hind  wheel.  A  draghound 
will  follow  aniseed  from  here  to  John  o'  Groat's,  and  our 
friend,  Armstrong,  would  have  to  drive  through  the  Cam 
before  he  would  shake  Pompey  off  his  trail.  Oh,  the  cunning 
rascal !  This  is  how  he  gave  me  the  slip  the  other  night." 

The  dog  had  suddenly  turned  out  of  the  main  road  into  a 
grass-grown  lane.  Half  a  mile  farther  this  opened  into  an- 
other broad  road,  and  the  trail  turned  hard  to  the  right  in  the 
direction  of  the  town,  which  we  had  just  quitted.  The  road 
took  a  sweep  to  the  south  of  the  town,  and  continued  in  the  oppo- 
site direction  to  that  in  which  we  started. 

"  This  detour  has  been  entirely  for  our  benefit,  then  ?  "  said 
Holmes.  "  No  wonder  that  my  inquiries  among  those  villages 
led  to  nothing.  The  doctor  has  certainly  played  the  game  for 
all  it  is  worth,  and  one  would  like  to  know  the  reason  for  such 
elaborate  deception.  This  should  be  the  village  of  Trumping- 
ton  to  the  right  of  us.  And,  by  Jove!  here  is  the  brougham 
coming  round  the  corner.  Quick,  Watson  —  quick,  or  we  are 
done ! " 

He  sprang  through  a  gate  into  a  field,  dragging  the  reluctant 
Pompey  after  him.  We  had  hardly  got  under  the  shelter  of 
the  hedge  when  the  carriage  rattled  past.  I  caught  a  glimpse 
of  Dr.  Armstrong  within,  his  shoulders  bowed,  his  head  sunk 
on  his  hands,  the  very  image  of  distress.  I  could  tell,  by  my 
companion's  graver  face,  that  he  also  had  seen. 


I    CATGUT    A    (!  I.  IMPS  E    OF    DR.     ARMSTRONG    WITHIN 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  315 

"I  fear  there  is  some  dark  ending  to  our  quest,"  said  he. 
"  It  cannot  be  long  before  we  know  it.  Come,  Pompey !  Ah, 
it  is  the  cottage  in  the  field ! " 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  we  had  reached  the  end  of  our 
journey.  Pompey  ran  about  and  whined  eagerly  outside  the 
gate,  where  the  marks  of  the  brougham's  wheels  were  still  to  be 
seen.  A  footpath  led  across  to  the  lonely  cottage.  Holmes  tied 
the  dog  to  the  hedge,  and  we  hastened  onwards.  My  friend 
knocked  at  the  little  rustic  door,  and  knocked  again  without 
response.  And  yet  the  cottage  was  not  deserted,  for  a  low 
sound  came  to  our  ears  —  a  kind  of  drone  of  misery  and  de- 
spair, which  was  indescribably  melancholy.  Holmes  paused 
irresolute,  and  then  he  glanced  back  at  the  road  which  he  had 
just  traversed.  A  brougham  was  coming  down  it,  and  there 
could  be  no  mistaking  those  grey  horses. 

"  By  Jove,  the  doctor  is  coming  back ! "  cried  Holmes.  "  That 
settles  it.  We  are  bound  to  see  what  it  means  before  he  comes." 

He  opened  the  door,  and  we  stepped  into  the  hall.  The 
droning  sound  swelled  louder  upon  our  ears  until  it  became 
one  long,  deep  wail  of  distress.  It  came  from  upstairs.  Holmes 
darted  up,  and  I  followed  him.  He  pushed  open  a  half- 
closed  door,  and  we  both  stood  appalled  at  the  sight  before  us. 

A  woman,  young  and  beautiful,  was  lying  dead  upon  the 
bed.  Her  calm,  pale  face,  with  dim,  wide-opened  blue  eyes, 
looked  upwards  from  amid  a  great  tangle  of  golden  hair.  At 
the  foot  of  the  bed,  half  sitting,  half  kneeling,  his  face  buried 
in  the  clothes,  was  a  young  man,  whose  frame  was  racked  by 
his  sobs.  So  absorbed  was  he  by  his  bitter  grief,  that  he  never 
looked  up  until  Holmes'  hand  was  on  his  shoulder. 

"  Are  you  Mr.  Godfrey  Staunton  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  am  —  but  you  are  too  late.     She  is  dead." 


316       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

The  man  was  so  dazed  that  he  could  not  be  made  to  under- 
stand that  we  were  anything  but  doctors  who  had  been  sent  to 
his  assistance.  Holmes  was  endeavouring  to  utter  a  few  words 
of  consolation,  and  to  explain  the  alarm  which  had  been  caused 
to  his  friends  by  his  sudden  disappearance,  when  there  was  a 
step  upon  the  stairs,  and  there  was  the  heavy,  stern,  question- 
ing face  of  Dr.  Armstrong  at  the  door. 

"So,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "you  have  attained  your  end,  and 
have  certainly  chosen  a  particularly  delicate  moment  for  your 
intrusion.  I  would  not  brawl  in  the  presence  of  death,  but  I 
can  assure  you  that  if  I  were  a  younger  man  your  monstrous 
conduct  would  not  pass  with  impunity." 

"  Excuse  me,  Dr.  Armstrong,  I  think  we  are  a  little  at  cross- 
purposes,"  said  my  friend,  with  dignity.  "  If  you  could  step 
downstairs  with  us,  we  may  each  be  able  to  give  some  light  to 
the  other  upon  this  miserable  affair." 

A  minute  later,  the  grim  doctor  and  ourselves  were  in  the 
sitting-room  below. 

"Well,  sir?  "said  he. 

"  I  wish  you  to  understand,  in  the  first  place,  that  I  am  not 
employed  by  Lord  Mount-James,  and  that  my  sympathies  in 
this  matter  are  entirely  against  that  nobleman.  When  a  man 
is  lost  it  is  my  duty  to  ascertain  his  fate,  but  having  done  so 
the  matter  ends  so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  and  so  long  as  there 
is  nothing  criminal,  I  am  much  more  anxious  to  hush  up 
private  scandals  than  to  give  them  publicity.  If,  as  I  imagine 
there  is  no  breach  of  the  law  in  this  matter,  you  can  absolutely 
depend  upon  my  discretion  and  my  co-operation  in  keeping 
the  facts  out  of  the  papers." 

Dr.  Armstrong  took  a  quick  step  forward  and  wrung  Holmes 
by  the  hand. 


THE  MISSING  THREE-QUARTER  317 

"You  are  a  good  fellow,"  said  he.  "I  had  misjudged  you. 
I  thank  Heaven  that  my  compunction  at  leaving  poor  Staunton 
all  alone  in  this  plight  caused  me  to  turn  my  carriage  back, 
and  so  to  make  your  acquaintance.  Knowing  as  much  as  you 
do,  the  situation  is  very  easily  explained.  A  year  ago  Godfrey 
Staunton  lodged  in  London  for  a  time,  and  became  passionately 
attached  to  his  landlady's  daughter,  whom  he  married.  She 
was  as  good  as  she  was  beautiful,  and  as  intelligent  as  she  was 
good.  No  man  need  be  ashamed  of  such  a  wife.  But  God- 
frey was  the  heir  to  this  crabbed  old  nobleman,  and  it  was 
quite  certain  that  the  news  of  his  marriage  would  have  been 
the  end  of  his  inheritance.  I  knew  the  lad  well,  and  I  loved 
him  for  his  many  excellent  qualities.  I  did  all  I  could  to  help 
him  to  keep  things  straight.  We  did  our  very  best  to  keep 
the  thing  from  everyone,  for,  when  once  such  a  whisper  gets 
about,  it  is  not  long  before  everyone  has  heard  it.  Thanks  to 
this  lonely  cottage  and  his  own  discretion,  Godfrey  has  up 
to  now  succeeded.  Their  secret  was  known  to  no  one  save  to 
me  and  to  one  excellent  servant,  who  has  at  present  gone  for 
assistance  to  Trumpington.  But  at  last  there  came  a  terrible 
blow  in  the  shape  of  dangerous  illness  to  his  wife.  It  was  con- 
sumption of  the  most  virulent  kind.  The  poor  boy  was  half 
crazed  with  grief,  and  yet  he  had  to  go  to  London  to  play  this 
match,  for  he  could  not  get  out  of  it  without  explanations  which 
would  expose  his  secret.  I  tried  to  cheer  him  up  by  wire,  and 
he  sent  me  one  in  reply,  imploring  me  to  do  all  I  could.  This 
was  the  telegram  which  you  appear  in  some  inexplicable  way 
to  have  seen.  I  did  not  tell  him  how  urgent  the  danger  was, 
for  I  knew  that  he  could  do  no  good  here,  but  I  sent  the  truth 
to  the  girl's  father,  and  he  very  injudiciously  communicated  it 
to  Godfrey.  The  result  was  that  he  came  straight  away  in  a 


818  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

state  bordering  on  frenzy,  and  has  remained  in  the  same  state, 
kneeling  at  the  end  of  her  bed,  until  this  morning  death  put  an 
end  to  her  sufferings.  That  is  all,  Mr.  Holmes,  and  I  am  sure 
that  I  can  rely  upon  your  discretion  and  that  of  your  friend." 

Holmes  grasped  the  doctor's  hand. 

"  Come,  Watson,"  said  he,  and  we  passed  from  that  house  of 
grief  into  the  pale  sunlight  of  the  winter  day. 


IT  was  on  a  bitterly  cold  and  frosty  morning,  towards  the  end 
of  the  winter  of  '97,  that  I  was  awakened  by  a  tugging  at  my 
shoulder.  It  was  Holmes.  The  candle  in  his  hand  shone  upon 
his  eager,  stooping  face,  and  told  me  at  a  glance  that  something 
was  amiss. 

"Come,  Watson,  come!"  he  cried.  "  The  game  is  afoot.  Not 
a  word !  Into  your  clothes  and  come ! " 

Ten  minutes  later  we  were  both  in  a  cab,  and  rattling  through 
the  silent  streets  on  our  way  to  Charing  Cross  Station.  The 
first  faint  winter's  dawn  was  beginning  to  appear,  and  we  could 
dimly  see  the  occasional  figure  of  an  early  workman  as  he  passed 
us,  blurred  and  indistinct  in  the  opalescent  London  reek. 
Holmes  nestled  in  silence  into  his  heavy  coat,  and  I  was  glad  to 
do  the  same,  for  the  air  was  most  bitter  and  neither  of  us  had 
broken  our  fast. 

It  was  not  until  we  had  consumed  some  hot  tea  at 
the  station,  and  taken  our  places  in  the  Kentish  train, 
that  we  were  sufficiently  thawed,  he  to  speak  and  I  to 
listen.  Holmes  drew  a  note  from  his  pocket,  and  read 
it  aloud: — 


320  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Abbey  Grange,  Marsham,  Kent, 

3.30  A.  M. 

MY  DEAR  MR.  HOLMES,  —  I  should  be  very  glad  of  your 
immediate  assistance  in  what  promises  to  be  a  most  remark- 
able case.  It  is  something  quite  in  your  line.  Except  for  re- 
leasing the  lady  I  will  see  that  everything  is  kept  exactly  as  I 
have  found  it,  but  I  beg  you  not  to  lose  an  instant,  as  it  is  difficult 
to  leave  Sir  Eustace  there. 

Yours  faithfully, 

STANLEY  HOPKINS. 

"Hopkins  has  called  me  in  seven  times,  and  on  each  occa- 
sion his  summons  has  been  entirely  justified,"  said  Holmes. 
"  I  fancy  that  every  one  of  his  cases  has  found  its  way  into  your 
collection,  and  I  must  admit,  Watson,  that  you  have  some  power 
of  selection,  which  atones  for  much  which  I  deplore  in  your  nar- 
ratives. Your  fatal  habit  of  looking  at  everything  from  the 
point  of  view  of  a  story  instead  of  as  a  scientific  exercise  has 
ruined  what  might  have  been  an  instructive  and  even  classical 
series  of  demonstrations.  You  slur  over  work  of  the  utmost 
finesse  and  delicacy,  in  order  to  dwell  upon  sensational  details 
which  may  excite,  but  cannot  possibly  instruct,  the  reader.  " 

"  Why  do  you  not  write  them  yourself  ?  "  I  said,  with  some 
bitterness. 

"  I  will,  my  dear  Watson,  I  will.  At  present  I  am,  as  you 
know,  fairly  busy,  but  I  propose  to  devote  my  declining  years 
to  the  composition  of  a  text-book,  which  shall  focus  the  whole 
art  of  detection  into  one  volume.  Our  present  research  appears 
to  be  a  case  of  murder.  " 

"You  think  this  Sir  Eustace  is  dead,  then  ?" 

"I  should   say   so.     Hopkins'  writing  shows  considerable 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  321 

agitation,  and  he  is  not  an  emotional  man.  Yes,  I  gather  there 
has  been  violence,  and  that  the  body  is  left  for  our  inspection. 
A  mere  suicide  would  not  have  caused  him  to  send  for  me.  As 
to  the  release  of  the  lady,  it  would  appear  that  she  has  been 
locked  in  her  room  during  the  tragedy.  We  are  moving  in  high 
life,  Watson,  crackh'ng  paper,  'E.  B.'  monogram,  coat-of- 
arms,  picturesque  address.  I  think  that  friend  Hopkins  will 
live  up  to  his  reputation,  and  that  we  shall  have  an  interesting 
morning.  The  crime  was  committed  before  twelve  last  night." 

"  How  can  you  possibly  tell  ?  " 

"  By  an  inspection  of  the  trains,  and  by  reckoning  the  time. 
The  local  police  had  to  be  called  in,  they  had  to  communicate 
with  Scotland  Yard,  Hopkins  had  to  go  out,  and  he  in  turn  had 
to  send  for  me.  All  that  makes  a  fair  night's  work.  Well,  here] 
we  are  at  Chiselhurst  Station,  and  we  shall  soon  set  our  doubts 
at  rest. " 

A  drive  of  a  couple  of  miles  through  narrow  country  lanes 
brought  us  to  a  park  gate,  which  was  opened  for  us  by  an  old 
lodge-keeper,  whose  haggard  face  bore  the  reflection  of  some 
great  disaster.  The  avenue  ran  through  a  noble  park,  between 
lines  of  ancient  elms,  and  ended  in  a  low,  widespread  house,  pil- 
lared in  front  after  the  fashion  of  Palladio.  The  central  part 
was  evidently  of  a  great  age,  and  shrouded  in  ivy,  but  the  large 
windows  showed  that  modern  changes  had  been  carried  out, 
and  one  wing  of  the  house  appeared  to  be  entirely  new.  The 
youthful  figure  and  alert,  eager  face  of  Inspector  Stanley  Hop- 
kins confronted  us  in  the  open  doorway. 

"  I'm  very  glad  you  have  come,  Mr.  Holmes.  And  you  too, 
Dr.  Watson.  But,  indeed,  if  I  had  my  time  over  again,  I  should 
not  have  troubled  you,  for  since  the  lady  has  come  to  herself, 
she  has  given  so  clear  an  account  of  the  affair  that  there  is  not 


322       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

much  left  for  us  to  do.  You  remember  that  Lewisham  gang 
of  burglars  ?  " 

"  What,  the  three  Randalls  ?  " 

"Exactly;  the  father  and  two  sons.  It's  their  work.  I 
have  not  a  doubt  of  it.  They  did  a  job  at  Sydenham  a  fort- 
night ago,  and  were  seen  and  described.  Rather  cool  to  do 
another  so  soon  and  so  near,  but  it  is  they,  beyond  all  doubt. 
It's  a  hanging  matter  this  time.  " 

"Sir  Eustace  is  dead,  then?" 

"  Yes,  his  head  was  knocked  in  with  his  own  poker.  " 

"  Sir  Eustace  Brackenstall,  the  driver  tells  me.  " 

"  Exactly  —  one  of  the  richest  men  in  Kent  —  Lady  Bracken- 
stall  is  in  the  morning-room.  Poor  lady,  she  has  had  a  most 
dreadful  experience.  She  seemed  half  dead  when  I  saw  her 
first.  I  think  you  had  best  see  her,  and  hear  her  account  of  the 
facts.  Then  we  will  examine  the  dining-room  together." 

Lady  Brackenstall  was  no  ordinary  person.  Seldom  have  I 
seen  so  graceful  a  figure,  so  womanly  a  presence,  and  so  beauti- 
ful a  face.  She  was  a  blonde,  golden-haired,  blue-eyed,  and 
would  no  doubt  have  had  the  perfect  complexion  which  goes 
with  such  colouring,  had  not  her  recent  experience  left  her 
drawn  and  haggard.  Her  sufferings  were  physical  as  well  as 
mental,  for  over  one  eye  rose  a  hideous,  plum-coloured  swelling, 
which  her  maid,  a  tall,  austere  woman,  was  bathing  assiduously 
with  vinegar  and  water.  The  lady  lay  back  exhausted  upon  a 
couch,  but  her  quick,  observant  gaze,  as  we  entered  the  room, 
and  the  alert  expression  of  her  beautiful  features,  showed  that 
neither  her  wits  nor  her  courage  had  been  shaken  by  her  terri- 
ble experience.  She  was  enveloped  in  a  loose  dressing-gown 
of  blue  and  silver,  but  a  black  sequin-covered  dinner-dress  was 
hung  upon  the  couch  beside  her. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  323 

"  I  have  told  you  all  that  happened,  Mr.  Hopkins, "  she  said, 
wearily,  "  could  you  not  repeat  it  for  me  ?  Well,  if  you  think  it 
necessary,  I  will  tell  these  gentlemen  what  occurred.  Have 
they  been  in  the  dining-room  yet  ?  " 

"  I  thought  they  had  better  hear  your  ladyship's  story  first. " 

"  I  shall  be  glad  when  you  can  arrange  matters.  It  is  horri- 
ble to  me  to  think  of  him  still  lying  there.  "  She  shuddered  and 
buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  As  she  did  so,  the  loose  gown  fell 
back  from  her  forearms.  Holmes  uttered  an  exclamation. 

"You  have  other  injuries,  madam!  What  is  this?"  Two 
vivid  red  spots  stood  out  on  one  of  the  white,  round  limbs.  She 
hastily  covered  it. 

"  It  is  nothing.  It  has  no  connection  with  this  hideous  busi- 
ness to-night.  If  you  and  your  friend  will  sit  down,  I  will  tell 
you  all  I  can. 

"I  am  the  wife  of  Sir  Eustace  Brackenstall.  I  have  been 
married  about  a  year.  I  suppose  that  it  is  no  use  my  attempting 
to  conceal  that  our  marriage  has  not  been  a  happy  one.  I  fear 
that  all  our  neighbours  would  tell  you  that,  even  if  I  were  to  at- 
tempt to  deny  it.  Perhaps  the  fault  may  be  partly  mine.  I 
was  brought  up  in  the  freer,  less  conventional  atmosphere  of 
South  Australia,  and  this  English  life,  with  its  proprieties  and 
its  primness,  is  not  congenial  to  me.  But  the  main  reason  lies 
in  the  one  fact,  which  is  notorious  to  everyone,  and  that  is  that 
Sir  Eustace  was  a  confirmed  drunkard.  To  be  with  such  a  man 
for  an  hour  is  unpleasant.  Can  you  imagine  what  it  means  for 
a  sensitive  and  high-spirited  woman  to  be  tied  to  him  for  day 
and  night  ?  It  is  a  sacrilege,  a  crime,  a  villainy  to  hold  that  such 
a  marriage  is  binding.  I  say  that  these  monstrous  laws  of  yours 
will  bring  a  curse  upon  the  land  —  God  will  not  let  such 
wickedness  endure. "  For  an  instant  she  sat  up,  her  cheeks 


324  THE  RETURN  Or 

flushed,  and  her  eyes  blazing  from  under  the  terrible  mark 
upon  her  brow.  Then  the  strong,  soothing  hand  of  the  austere 
maid  drew  her  head  down  on  to  the  cushion,  and  the  wild  anger 
died  away  into  passionate  sobbing.  At  last  she  continued : — 

"  I  will  tell  you  about  last  night.  You  are  aware,  perhaps, 
that  in  this  house  all  the  servants  sleep  in  the  modern  wing. 
This  central  block  is  made  up  of  the  dwelling-rooms,  with  the 
kitchen  behind  and  our  bedroom  above.  My  maid,  Theresa, 
sleeps  above  my  room.  There  is  no  one  else,  and  no  sound 
could  alarm  those  who  are  in  the  farther  wing.  This  must 
have  been  well  known  to  the  robbers,  or  they  would  not  have 
acted  as  they  did. 

"  Sir  Eustace  retired  about  half -past  ten.  The  servants  had 
already  gone  to  their  quarters.  Only  my  maid  was  up,  and 
she  had  remained  in  her  room  at  the  top  of  the  house  until  I 
needed  her  services.  I  sat  until  after  eleven  in  this  room, 
absorbed  in  a  book.  Then  I  walked  round  to  see  that  all 
was  right  before  I  went  upstairs.  It  was  my  custom  to  do 
this  myself,  for,  as  I  have  explained,  Sir  Eustace  was  not 
always  to  be  trusted.  I  went  into  the  kitchen,  the  butler's 
pantry,  the  gun-room,  the  billiard-room,  the  drawing-room,  and 
finally  the  dining-room,  As  I  approached  the  window,  which 
is  covered  with  thick  curtains,  I  suddenly  felt  the  wind  blow 
upon  my  face,  and  realized  that  it  was  open.  I  flung  the 
curtain  aside,  and  found  myself  face  to  face  with  a  broad- 
shouldered,  elderly  man,  who  had  just  stepped  into  the  room. 
The  window  is  a  long  French  one,  which  really  forms  a  door 
leading  to  the  lawn.  I  held  my  bedroom  candle  lit  in  my  hand, 
and,  by  its  light;  behind  the  first  man  I  saw  two  others,  who 
were  in  the  act  of  entering.  I  stepped  back,  but  the  fellow  was 
on  me  in  an  instant.  He  caught  me  first  by  the  wrist,  and  then 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  325 

by  the  throat.  I  opened  my  mouth  to  scream,  but  he  struck  me 
a  savage  blow  with  his  fist  over  the  eye,  and  felled  me  to  the 
ground.  I  must  have  been  unconscious  for  a  few  minutes,  for 
when  I  came  to  myself,  I  found  that  they  had  torn  down  the  bell- 
rope,  and  had  secured  me  tightly  to  the  oaken  chair  which  stands 
at  the  head  of  the  dining-table.  I  was  so  firmly  bound  that  I 
could  not  move,  and  a  handkerchief  round  my  mouth  prevented 
me  from  uttering  a  sound.  It  was  at  this  instant  that  my  un- 
fortunate husband  entered  the  room.  He  had  evidently  heard 
some  suspicious  sounds,  and  he  came  prepared  for  such  a  scene 
as  he  found.  He  was  dressed  in  his  shirt  and  trousers,  with  his 
favourite  blackthorn  cudgel  in  his  hand.  He  rushed  at  the 
burglars,  but  another  —  it  was  an  elderly  man,  stooped,  picked 
the  poker  out  of  the  grate,  and  struck  him  a  horrible  blow  as  he 
passed.  He  fell  with  a  groan,  and  never  moved  again.  I 
fainted  once  more,  but  again  it  could  only  have  been  for  a  very 
few  minutes  during  which  I  was  insensible.  When  I  opened  my 
eyes  I  found  that  they  had  collected  the  silver  from  the  side- 
board, and  they  had  drawn  a  bottle  of  wine  which  stood  there. 
Each  of  them  had  a  glass  in  his  hand.  I  have  already  told  you, 
have  I  not,  that  one  was  elderly,  with  a  beard,  and  the  others 
young,  hairless  lads.  They  might  have  been  a  father  with  his 
two  sons.  They  talked  together  in  whispers.  Then  they  came 
over  and  made  sure  that  I  was  securely  bound.  Finally  they 
withdrew,  closing  the  window  after  them.  It  was  quite  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  before  I  got  my  mouth  free.  When  I  did  so, 
my  screams  brought  the  maid  to  my  assistance.  The  other 
servants  were  soon  alarmed,  and  we  sent  for  the  local  police, 
who  instantly  communicated  with  London.  That  is  really  all 
that  I  can  tell  you,  gentlemen,  and  I  trust  that  it  will  not  be 
necessary  for  me  to  go  over  so  painful  a  story  again. " 


326       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Any  questions,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  "  asked  Hopkins. 

"  I  will  not  impose  any  further  tax  upon  Lady  Brackenstall's 
patience  and  time, "  said  Holmes.  "  Before  I  go  into  the  din- 
ing-room, I  should  like  to  hear  your  experience.  "  He  looked 
at  the  maid. " 

"  I  saw  the  men  before  ever  they  came  into  the  house, "  said 
she.  "  As  I  sat  by  my  bedroom  window  I  saw  three  men  in  the 
moonlight  down  by  the  lodge  gate  yonder,  but  I  thought  noth- 
ing of  it  at  the  time.  It  was  more  than  an  hour  after  that  I 
heard  my  mistress  scream,  and  down  I  ran,  to  find  her,  poor 
lamb,  just  as  she  says,  and  him  on  the  floor,  with  his  blood  and 
brains  over  the  room.  It  was  enough  to  drive  a  woman  out  of 
her  wits,  tied  there,  and  her  very  dress  spotted  with  him,  but 
she  never  wanted  courage,  did  Miss  Mary  Eraser  of  Adelaide, 
and  Lady  Brackenstall  of  Abbey  Grange  hasn't  learned  new 
ways.  You've  questioned  her  long  enough,  you  gentlemen, 
and  now  she  is  coming  to  her  own  room,  just  with  her  old 
Theresa,  to  get  the  rest  that  she  badly  needs. " 

With  a  motherly  tenderness  the  gaunt  woman  put  her  arm 
round  her  mistress  and  led  her  from  the  room. 

"  She  has  been  with  her  all  her  life, "  said  Hopkins.  "  Nursed 
her  as  a  baby,  and  came  with  her  to  England  when  they  first 
left  Australia,  eighteen  months  ago.  Theresa  Wright  is  her 
name,  and  the  kind  of  maid  you  don't  pick  up  nowadays.  This 
way,  Mr.  Holmes,  if  you  please ! " 

The  keen  interest  had  passed  out  of  Holmes'  expressive  face, 
and  I  knew  that  with  the  mystery  all  the  charm  of  the  case  had 
departed.  There  still  remained  an  arrest  to  be  effected,  but 
what  were  these  commonplace  rogues,  that  he  should  soil  his 
hands  with  them?  An  abstruse  and  learned  specialist  who 
finds  that  he  has  been  called  in  for  a  case  of  measles  would 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  327 

experience  something  of  the  annoyance  which  I  read  in  my 
friend's  eyes.  Yet  the  scene  in  the  dining-room  of  the  Abbey 
Grange  was  sufficiently  strange  to  arrest  his  attention  and  to 
recall  his  waning  interest. 

It  was  a  very  large  and  high  chamber,  with  carved  oak  ceil- 
ing, oaken  panelling,  and  a  fine  array  of  deer's  heads  and  an- 
cient weapons  around  the  walls.  At  the  further  end  from  the 
door  was  the  high,  French  window  of  which  we  had  heard. 
Three  smaller  windows  on  the  right-hand  side  filled  the  apart- 
ment with  cold  winter  sunshine.  On  the  left  was  a  large,  deep 
fireplace,  with  a  massive,  overhanging  oak  mantelpiece.  Be- 
side the  fireplace  was  a  heavy  oaken  chair  with  arms  and  cross- 
bars at  the  bottom.  In  and  out  through  the  open  woodwork 
was  woven  a  crimson  cord,  which  was  secured  at  each  side  to 
the  crosspiece  below.  In  releasing  the  lady,  the  cord  had  been 
slipped  off  her,  but  the  knots  with  which  it  had  been  secured 
still  remained.  These  details  only  struck  our  attention  after- 
wards, for  our  thoughts  were  entirely  absorbed  by  the  terrible 
object  which  lay  upon  the  tiger-skin  hearthrug  in  front  of  the 
fire. 

It  was  the  body  of  a  tall,  well-made  man,  about  forty  years  of 
age.  He  lay  upon  his  back,  his  face  upturned,  with  his  white 
teeth  grinning  through  his  short,  black  beard.  His  two  clenched 
hands  were  raised  above  his  head,  and  a  heavy,  blackthorn 
stick  lay  across  them.  His  dark,  handsome,  aquiline  features 
were  convulsed  into  a  spasm  of  vindictive  hatred,  which  had  set 
his  dead  face  in  a  terribly  fiendish  expression.  He  had  evi- 
dently been  in  his  bed  when  the  alarm  had  broken  out,  for  he 
wore  a  foppish,  embroidered  night-shirt,  and  his  bare  feet  pro- 
jected from  his  trousers.  His  head  was  horribly  injured,  and 
the  whole  room  bore  witness  to  the  savage  ferocity  of  the 


328 

blow  which  had  struck  him  down.  Beside  him  lay  the  heavy 
poker,  bent  into  a  curve  by  the  concussion.  Holmes  examined 
both  it  and  the  indescribable  wreck  which  it  had  wrought. 

"He  must  be  a  powerful  man,  this  elder  Randall,"  he 
remarked. 

'*  Yes, "  said  Hopkins.  "  I  have  some  record  of  the  fellow, 
and  he  is  a  rough  customer. " 

"  You  should  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  him. " 

"  Not  the  slightest.  We  have  been  on  the  lookout  for  him, 
and  there  was  some  idea  that  he  had  got  away  to  America. 
Now  that  we  know  that  the  gang  are  here,  I  don't  see  how  they 
can  escape.  We  have  the  news  at  every  seaport  already,  and  a 
reward  will  be  offered  before  evening.  What  beats  me  is  how 
they  could  have  done  so  mad  a  thing,  knowing  that  the  lady 
could  describe  them,  and  that  we  could  not  fail  to  recognise  the 
description. " 

"  Exactly.  One  would  have  expected  that  they  would  have 
silenced  Lady  Brackenstall  as  well.  " 

**  They  may  not  have  realized, "  I  suggested,  "  that  she  had 
recovered  from  her  faint. " 

"  That  is  likely  enough.  If  she  seemed  to  be  senseless,  they 
would  not  take  her  life.  What  about  this  poor  fellow,  Hop- 
kins ?  I  seem  to  have  heard  some  queer  stories  about  him. " 

"  He  was  a  good-hearted  man  when  he  was  sober,  but  a  per- 
fect fiend  when  he  was  drunk,  or  rather  when  he  was  half 
drunk,  for  he  seldom  really  went  the  whole  way.  The  devil 
seemed  to  be  in  him  at  such  times,  and  he  was  capable  of 
anything.  From  what  I  hear,  in  spite  of  all  his  wealth  and  his 
title,  he  very  nearly  came  our  way  once  or  twice.  There  was 
a  scandal  about  his  drenching  a  dog  with  petroleum  and  setting 
it  on  fire  —  her  ladyship's  dog,  to  make  the  matter  worse  —  and 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  329 

that  was  only  hushed  up  with  difficulty.  Then  he  threw  a 
decanter  at  that  maid,  Theresa  Wright,  there  was  trouble 
about  that.  On  the  whole,  and  between  ourselves,  it  will  be 
a  brighter  house  without  him.  What  are  you  looking  at  now  ?  " 

Holmes  was  down  on  his  knees,  examining  with  great  atten- 
tion the  knots  upon  the  red  cord  with  which  the  lady  had  been 
secured.  Then  he  carefully  scrutinized  the  broken  and  frayed 
end  where  it  had  snapped  off  when  the  burglar  had  dragged  it 
it  down. 

"When  this  was  pulled  down,  the  bell  in  the  kitchen  must 
have  rung  loudly, "  he  remarked. 

'*  No  one  could  hear  it.  The  kitchen  stands  right  at  the  back 
of  the  house. " 

"  How  did  the  burglar  know  no  one  would  hear  it  ?  How 
dared  he  pull  at  a  bell-rope  in  that  reckless  fashion  ?  " 

"  Exactly,  Mr.  Holmes,  exactly.  You  put  the  very  question 
which  I  have  asked  myself  again  and  again.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  this  fellow  must  have  known  the  house  and  its  habits. 
He  must  have  perfectly  understood  that  the  servants  would  all 
be  in  bed  at  that  comparatively  early  hour,  and  that  no  one 
could  possibly  hear  a  bell  ring  in  the  kitchen.  Therefore,  he 
must  have  been  in  close  league  with  one  of  the  servants.  Surely 
that  is  evident.  But  there  are  eight  servants,  and  all  of  good 
character. " 

"  Other  things  being  equal, "  said  Holmes,  "  one  would  sus- 
pect the  one  at  whose  head  the  master  threw  a  decanter.  And 
yet  that  would  involve  treachery  towards  the  mistress  to  whom 
this  woman  seems  devoted.  Well,  well,  the  point  is  a  minor 
one,  and  when  you  have  Randall  you  will  probably  find  no 
difficulty  in  securing  his  accomplice.  The  lady's  story  certainly 
seems  to  be  corroborated,  if  it  needed  corroboration,  by  every 


330       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

detail  which  we  see  before  us. "  He  walked  to  the  French 
window  and  threw  it  open.  "  There  are  no  signs  here,  but  the 
ground  is  iron  hard,  and  one  would  not  expect  them.  I  see  that 
these  candles  in  the  mantelpiece  have  been  lighted. " 

"Yes,  it  was  by  their  light,  and  that  of  the  lady's  bedroom 
candle,  that  the  burglars  saw  their  way  about. " 

"  And  what  did  they  take  ?  " 

"  Well,  they  did  not  take  much  —  only  half  a  dozen  articles  of 
plate  off  the  sideboard.  Lady  Brackenstall  thinks  that  they 
were  themselves  so  disturbed  by  the  death  of  Sir  Eustace  that 
they  did  not  ransack  the  house,  as  they  would  otherwise  have 
done." 

"  No  doubt  that  is  true,  and  yet  they  drank  some  wine,  I 
understand. " 

"  To  steady  their  nerves. " 

"Exactly.  These  three  glasses  upon  the  sideboard  have 
been  untouched,  I  suppose?" 

"  Yes,  and  the  bottle  stands  as  they  left  it.  " 

"  Let  us  look  at  it.     Halloa,  halloa !    What  is  this  ?  " 

The  three  glasses  were  grouped  together,  all  of  them  tinged 
with  wine,  and  one  of  them  containing  some  dregs  of  beeswing. 
The  bottle  stood  near  them,  two-thirds  full,  and  beside  it  lay  a 
long,  deeply  stained  cork.  Its  appearance  and  the  dust  upon 
the  bottle  showed  that  was  no  common  vintage  which  the  mur- 
derers had  enjoyed. 

A  change  had  come  over  Holmes'  manner.  He  had  lost  his  list- 
less expression,  and  again  I  saw  an  alert  light  of  interest  in  his 
keen,deep-set  eyes.  He  raised  the  cork  and  examined  it  minutely. 

"  How  did  they  draw  it  ?  "  he  asked. 

Hopkins  pointed  to  a  half-opened  drawer.  In  it  lay  some 
table  linen  and  a  large  cork-screw. 


THF.SE    THREE    GLASSES     UPON. THE    SIDEBOARD     HAVE    BEEN 
I'NTOUCHED,     I    SUPPOSE?" 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  331 

"  Did  Lady  Brackenstall  say  that  screw  was  used  ?  " 

"  No,  you  remember  that  she  was  senseless  at  the  moment 
when  the  bottle  was  opened. " 

"Quite  so.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  that  screw  was  not  used. 
This  bottle  was  opened  by  a  pocket  screw,  probably  contained 
in  a  knife,  and  not  more  than  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  If  you 
will  examine  the  top  of  the  cork,  you  will  observe  that  the  screw 
was  driven  in  three  times  before  the  cork  was  extracted.  It 
has  never  been  transfixed.  This  long  screw  would  have  trans- 
fixed it  and  drawn  it  up  with  a  single  pull.  When  you  catch 
this  fellow,  you  will  find  that  he  has  one  of  these  multiplex 
knives  in  his  possession." 

"Excellent!"   said  Hopkins. 

"  But  these  glasses  do  puzzle  me,  I  confess.  Lady  Bracken- 
stall  actually  saw  the  three  men  drinking,  did  she  not  ?  " 

"  Yes :  she  was  clear  about  that.  " 

"  Then  there  is  an  end  of  it.  What  more  is  to  be  said  ?  And 
yet,  you  must  admit,  that  the  three  glasses  are  very  remarkable, 
Hopkins.  What  ?  You  see  nothing  remarkable  ?  Well,  well, 
let  it  pass.  Perhaps,  when  a  man  has  special  knowledge  and 
special  powers  like  my  own,  it  rather  encourages  him  to  seek 
a  complex  explanation  when  a  simpler  one  is  at  hand.  Of 
course,  it  must  be  a  mere  chance  about  the  glasses.  Well, 
good  morning,  Hopkins.  I  don't  see  that  I  can  be  of  any  use 
to  you,  and  you  appear  to  have  your  case  very  clear.  You  will 
let  me  know  when  Randall  is  arrested,  and  any  further  de- 
velopments which  may  occur.  I  trust  that  I  shall  soon  have  to 
congratulate  you  upon  a  successful  conclusion.  Come,  Wat- 
son, I  fancy  that  we  may  employ  ourselves  more  profitably  at 
home. " 

During  our  return  journey,  I  could  see  by  Holmes'  face  that 


332       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

he  was  much  puzzled  by  something  which  he  had  observed. 
Every  now  and  then,  by  an  effort,  he  would  throw  off  the  im- 
pression, and  talk  as  if  the  matter  were  clear,  but  then  his  doubts 
would  settle  down  upon  him  again,  and  his  knitted  brows  and 
abstracted  eyes  would  show  that  his  thoughts  had  gone  back 
once  more  to  the  great  dining-room  of  the  Abbey  Grange,  in 
which  this  midnight  tragedy  had  been  enacted.  At  last,  by  a 
sudden  impulse,  just  as  our  train  was  crawling  out  of  a  subur- 
ban station,  he  sprang  on  to  the  platform  and  pulled  me  out 
after  him. 

"  Excuse  me,  my  dear  fellow, "  said  he,  as  we  watched  the 
rear  carriages  of  our  train  disappearing  round  a  curve,  "  I  am 
sorry  to  make  you  the  victim  of  what  may  seem  a  mere  whim, 
but  on  my  life,  Watson,  I  simply  can't  leave  that  case  in  this  con- 
dition. Every  instinct  that  I  possess  cries  out  against  it.  It's 
wrong  —  it's  all  wrong  —  I'll  swear  that  it's  wrong.  And  yet  the 
lady's  story  was  complete,  the  maid's  corroboration  was  suffi- 
cient, the  detail  was  fairly  exact.  What  have  I  to  put  up  against 
that  ?  Three  wineglasses,  that  is  all.  But  if  I  had  not  taken 
things  for  granted,  if  I  had  examined  everything  with  care  which 
I  should  have  shown  had  we  approached  the  case  de  novo  and 
had  no  cut-and-dried  story  to  warp  my  mind,  should  I  not  then 
have  found  something  more  definite  to  go  upon  ?  Of  course  I 
should.  Sit  down  on  this  bench,  Watson,  until  a  train  for 
Chiselhurst  arrives,  and  allow  me  to  lay  the  evidence  before 
you,  imploring  you  in  the  first  instance  to  dismiss  from  your 
mind  the  idea  that  anything  which  the  maid  or  her  mistress 
may  have  said  must  necessarily  be  true.  The  lady's  charming 
personality  must  not  be  permitted  to  warp  our  judgment. 

"  Surely  there  are  details  in  her  story  which,  if  we  looked  at  in 
cold  blood,  would  excite  our  suspicion.  These  burglars  made  a 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  333 

considerable  haul  at  Sydenham,  a  fortnight  ago.  Some  account 
of  them  and  of  their  appearance  was  in  the  papers,  and  would 
naturally  occur  to  anyone  who  wished  to  invent  a  story  in  which 
imaginary  robbers  should  play  a  part.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  bur- 
glars who  have  done  a  good  stroke  of  business  are,  as  a  rule,  only 
too  glad  to  enjoy  the  proceeds  in  peace  and  quiet  without  em- 
barking on  another  perilous  undertaking.  Again,  it  is  unusual 
for  burglars  to  operate  at  so  early  an  hour,  it  is  unusual  for  burg- 
lars to  strike  a  lady  to  prevent  her  screaming,  since  one  would 
imagine  that  was  the  sure  way  to  make  her  scream,  it  is  unusual 
for  them  to  commit  murder  when  their  numbers  are  sufficient 
to  overpower  one  man,  it  is  unusual  for  them  to  be  content  with 
a  limited  plunder  when  there  was  much  more  within  their 
reach,  and  finally,  I  should  say,  that  it  was  very  unusual  for 
such  men  to  leave  a  bottle  half  empty.  How  do  all  these  un- 
usuals  strike  you,  Watson  ?  " 

"Their  cumulative  effect  is  certainly  considerable,  and  yet 
each  of  them  is  quite  possible  in  itself.  The  most  unusual  thing 
of  all,  as  it  seems  to  me,  is  that  the  lady  should  be  tied  to  the 
chair." 

"  Well,  I  am  not  so  clear  about  that,  Watson,  for  it  is  evident 
that  they  must  either  kill  her  or  else  secure  her  in  such  a  way 
that  she  could  not  give  immediate  notice  of  their  escape.  But 
at  any  rate  I  have  shown,  have  I  not,  that  there  is  a  certain  ele- 
ment of  improbability  about  the  lady's  story  ?  And  now,  on 
the  top  of  this,  comes  the  incident  of  the  wineglasses. " 

"  What  about  the  wineglasses  ?  " 

"  Can  you  see  them  in  your  mind's  eye  ?  " 

"  I  see  them  clearly.  " 

'*  We  are  told  that  three  men  drank  from  them.  Does  that 
strike  you  as  likely  ?  " 


834       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Why  not  ?    There  was  wine  in  each  glass.  " 

"Exactly,  but  there  was  beeswing  only  in  one  glass.  You 
must  have  noticed  that  fact.  What  does  that  suggest  to  your 
mind?" 

"  The  last  glass  filled  would  be  most  likely  to  contain  bees- 
wing." 

"  Not  at  all.  The  bottle  was  full  of  it,  and  it  is  inconceivable 
that  the  first  two  glasses  were  clear  and  the  third  heavily 
charged  with  it.  There  are  two  possible  explanations,  and 
only  two.  One  is  that  after  the  second  glass  was  filled  the  bot- 
tle was  violently  agitated,  and  so  the  third  glass  received  the 
beeswing.  That  does  not  appear  probable.  No,  no,  I  am 
sure  that  I  am  right. " 

"What,  then,  do  you  suppose?" 

"  That  only  two  glasses  were  used,  and  that  the  dregs  of  both 
were  poured  into  a  third  glass,  so  as  to  give  the  false  impression 
that  three  people  had  been  here.  In  that  way  all  the  beeswing 
would  be  in  the  last  glass,  would  it  not?  Yes,  I  am  con- 
vinced that  this  is  so.  But  if  I  have  hit  upon  the  true  explana- 
tion of  this  one  small  phenomenon,  then  in  an  instant  the  case 
rises  from  the  commonplace  to  the  exceedingly  remarkable,  for 
it  can  only  mean  that  Lady  Brackenstall  and  her  maid  have  de- 
liberately lied  to  us,  that  not  one  word  of  their  story  is  to  be  be- 
lieved, that  they  have  some  very  strong  reason  for  covering  the 
real  criminal,  and  that  we  must  construct  our  case  for  ourselves 
without  any  help  from  them.  That  is  the  mission  which  now 
lies  before  us,  and  here,  Watson,  is  the  Sydenham  train. " 

The  household  at  the  Abbey  Grange  were  much  surprised 
at  our  return,  but  Sherlock  Holmes,  finding  that  Stanley  Hop- 
kins had  gone  off  to  report  to  headquarters,  took  possession 
of  the  dining-room,  locked  the  door  upon  the  inside,  and  de- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE     335 

voted  himself  for  two  hours  to  one  of  those  minute  and 
laborious  investigations  which  form  the  solid  basis  on 
which  his  brilliant  edifices  of  deduction  were  reared.  Seated 
in  a  corner  like  an  interested  student  who  observes  the 
demonstration  of  his  professor,  I  followed  every  step  of 
that  remarkable  research.  The  window,  the  curtains,  the 
carpet,  the  chair,  the  rope  —  each  in  turn  was  minutely  ex- 
amined and  duly  pondered.  The  body  of  the  unfortunate 
baronet  had  been  removed,  and  all  else  remained  as  we 
had  seen  it  in  the  morning.  Finally,  to  my  astonishment, 
Holmes  climbed  up  on  to  the  massive  mantelpiece.  Far 
above  his  head  hung  the  few  inches  of  red  cord  which  were 
still  attached  to  the  wire.  For  a  long  time  he  gazed  upwards 
at  it,  and  then  in  an  attempt  to  get  nearer  to  it  he  rested  his 
knee  upon  a  wooden  bracket  on  the  wall.  This  brought  his 
hand  within  a  few  inches  of  the  broken  end  of  the  rope, 
but  it  was  not  this  so  much  as  the  bracket  itself  which 
seemed  to  engage  his  attention.  Finally,  he  sprang  down 
with  an  ejaculation  of  satisfaction. 

"  It's  all  right,  Watson,"  said  he.  "  We  have  got  our  case  — 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  our  collection.  But,  dear  me, 
how  slow-witted  I  have  been,  and  how  nearly  I  have  committed 
the  blunder  of  my  lifetime !  Now,  I  think  that,  with  a  few  miss- 
ing links,  my  chain  is  almost  complete." 

"  You  have  got  your  men  ?  " 

"  Man,  Watson,  man.  Only  one,  but  a  very  formidable  per- 
son. Strong  as  a  lion  —  witness  the  blow  that  bent  that 
poker!  Six  foot  three  in  height,  active  as  a  squirrel,  dexter- 
ous with  his  fingers,  finally,  remarkably  quick-witted,  for  this 
whole  ingenious  story  is  of  his  concoction.  Yes,  Watson,  we 
have  come  upon  the  handiwork  of  a  very  remarkable  individual. 


336       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

And  yet,  in  that  bell-rope,  he  has  given  us  a  clue  which  should 
not  have  left  us  a  doubt." 

"  Where  was  the  clue  ?  " 

"  Well,  if  you  were  to  pull  down  a  bell-rope,  Watson,  where 
would  you  expect  it  to  break  ?  Surely  at  the  spot  where  it  is 
attached  to  the  wire.  Why  should  it  break  three  inches  from 
the  top,  as  this  one  has  done  ?  " 

"  Because  it  is  frayed  there  ?  " 

"  Exactly.  This  end,  which  we  can  examine,  is  frayed.  He 
was  cunning  enough  to  do  that  with  his  knife.  But  the  other 
end  is  not  frayed.  You  could  not  observe  that  from  here,  but 
if  you  were  on  the  mantelpiece  you  would  see  that  it  is  cut  clean 
off  without  any  mark  of  fraying  whatever.  You  can  recon- 
struct what  occurred.  The  man  needed  the  rope.  He  would 
not  tear  it  down  for  fear  of  giving  the  alarm  by  ringing  the  bell. 
What  did  he  do  ?  He  sprang  up  on  the  mantelpiece,  could  not 
quite  reach  it,  put  his  knee  on  the  bracket  —  you  will  see  the 
impression  in  the  dust  —  and  so  got  his  knife  to  bear  upon  the 
cord.  I  could  not  reach  the  place  by  at  least  three  inches  —  from 
which  I  infer  that  he  is  at  least  three  inches  a  bigger  man  than  I. 
Look  at  that  mark  upon  the  seat  of  the  oaken  chair !  What  is  it  ?  " 

"Blood." 

"  Undoubtedly  it  is  blood.  This  alone  puts  the  lady's  story 
out  of  court.  If  she  were  seated  on  the  chair  when  the  crime 
was  done,  how  comes  that  mark.  No,  no,  she  was  placed  in 
the  chair  after  the  death  of  her  husband.  I'll  wager  that  the 
black-dress  shows  a  corresponding  mark  to  this.  We  have  not 
yet  met  our  Waterloo,  Watson,  but  this  is  our  Marengo,  for  it 
begins  in  defeat  and  ends  in  victory.  I  should  like  now  to  have 
a  few  words  with  the  nurse,  Theresa.  We  must  be  wary  for 
awhile,  if  we  are  to  get  the  information  which  we  want." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  337 

She  was  an  interesting  person,  this  stern  Australian  nurse 
—  taciturn,  suspicious,  ungracious,  it  took  some  time  be- 
fore Holmes'  pleasant  manner  and  frank  acceptance  of 
all  that  she  said  thawed  her  into  a  corresponding  amiability. 
She  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  her  hatred  for  her  late 
employer. 

"Yes,  sir,  it  is  true  that  he  threw  the  decanter  at  me.  I 
heard  him  call  my  mistress  a  name,  and  I  told  him  that  he  would 
not  dare  to  speak  so  if  her  brother  had  been  there.  Then  it 
was  that  he  threw  it  at  me.  He  might  have  thrown  a  dozen 
if  he  had  but  left  my  bonny  bird  alone.  He  was  forever  ill- 
treating  her,  and  she  too  proud  to  complain.  She  will  not  even 
tell  me  all  that  he  has  done  to  her.  She  never  told  me  of  those 
marks  on  her  arm  that  you  saw  this  morning,  but  I  know  very 
well  that  they  come  from  a  stab  with  a  hatpin.  The  sly  devil  — 
God  forgive  me  that  I  should  speak  of  him  so,  now  that  he  is 
dead !  But  a  devil  he  was,  if  ever  one  walked  the  earth.  He  was 
all  honey  when  first  we  met  him  —  only  eighteen  months  ago, 
and  we  both  feel  as  if  it  were  eighteen  years.  She  had  only  just 
arrived  in  London.  Yes,  it  was  her  first  voyage  —  she  had 
never  been  from  home  before.  He  won  her  with  his  title  and 
his  money  and  his  false  London  ways.  If  she  made  a  mistake 
she  was  paid  for  it,  if  ever  a  woman  did.  What  month  did  we 
meet  him  ?  Well,  I  tell  you  it  was  just  after  we  arrived.  We 
arrived  in  June,  and  it  was  July.  They  were  married  in  Janu- 
ary of  last  year.  Yes,  she  is  down  in  the  morning-room  again, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  she  will  see  you,  but  you  must  not  ask  too 
much  of  her,  for  she  has  gone  through  all  that  flesh  and  blood 
will  stand." 

Lady  Brackenstall  was  reclining  on  the  same  couch,  but 
looked  brighter  than  before.  The  maid  had  entered  with  us, 


338       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

and  began  once  more  to  foment  the  bruise  upon  her  mistress' 
brow. 

"  I  hope,"  said  the  lady,  "  that  you  have  not  come  to  cross- 
examine  me  again  ?  " 

**  No,"  Holmes  answered,  in  his  gentlest  voice,  "  I  will  not 
cause  you  any  unnecessary  trouble,  Lady  Brackenstall,  and 
my  whole  desire  is  to  make  things  easy  for  you,  for  I  am  con- 
vinced that  you  are  a  much-tried  woman.  If  you  will  treat  me 
as  a  friend  and  trust  me,  you  may  find  that  I  will  justify  your 
trust." 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ?  " 

"  To  tell  me  the  truth." 

"Mr.  Holmes!" 

"  No,  no,  Lady  Brackenstall  —  it  is  no  use.  You  may  have 
heard  of  any  little  reputation  which  I  possess.  I  will  stake  it  all 
on  the  fact  that  your  story  is  an  absolute  fabrication." 

Mistress  and  maid  were  both  staring  at  Holmes  with  pale 
faces  and  frightened  eyes. 

"You  are  an  impudent  fellow!"  cried  Theresa.  "Do  you 
mean  to  say  that  my  mistress  has  told  a  lie  ? " 

Holmes  rose  from  his  chair. 

"  Have  you  nothing  to  tell  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  told  you  everything." 

"Think  once  more,  Lady  Brackenstall.  Would  it  not  be 
better  to  be  frank  ?  " 

For  an  instant  there  was  hesitation  in  her  beautiful  face. 
Then  some  new  strong  thought  caused  it  to  set  like  a  mask. 

"  I  have  told  you  all  I  know." 

Holmes  took  his  hat  and  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "I  am 
sorry,"  he  said,  and  without  another  word  we  left  the  room  and 
the  house.  There  was  a  pond  in  the  park,  and  to  this  my 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  339 

friend  led  the  way.  It  was  frozen  over,  but  a  single  hole  was 
left  for  the  convenience  of  a  solitary  swan.  Holmes  gazed  at 
it,  and  then  passed  on  to  the  lodge  gate.  There  he  scribbled 
a  short  note  for  Stanley  Hopkins,  and  left  it  with  the  lodge- 
keeper. 

"  It  may  be  a  hit,  or  it  may  be  a  miss,  but  we  are  bound  to 
do  something  for  friend  Hopkins,  just  to  justify  this  second 
visit,"  said  he.  "  I  will  not  quite  take  him  into  my  confidence 
yet.  I  think  our  next  scene  of  operations  must  be  the  shipping 
office  of  the  Adelaide-Southampton  line,  which  stands  at  the 
end  of  Pall  Mall,  if  I  remember  right.  There  is  a  second  line 
of  steamers  which  connect  South  Australia  with  England,  but 
we  will  draw  the  larger  cover  first." 

Holmes'  card  sent  in  to  the  manager  ensured  instant  atten- 
tion, and  he  was  not  long  in  acquiring  all  the  information  he 
needed.  In  June  of  '95,  only  one  of  their  line  had  reached  a 
home  port.  It  was  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar,  their  largest  and  best 
boat.  A  reference  to  the  passenger  list  showed  that  Miss 
Fraser,  of  Adelaide,  with  her  maid  had  made  the  voyage  in  her. 
The  boat  was  now  on  her  way  to  Australia  somewhere  in  the 
south  of  the  Suez  Canal.  Her  officers  were  the  same  as  in  '95, 
with  one  exception.  The  first  officer,  Mr.  Jack  Crocker,  had 
been  made  a  captain,  and  was  to  take  charge  of  their  new  ship, 
The  Bass  Rock,  sailing  in  two  days '  time  from  Southampton. 
He  lived  at  Sydenham,  but  he  was  likely  to  be  in  that  morning 
for  instructions,  if  we  cared  to  wait  for  him. 

No :  Mr.  Holmes  had  no  desire  to  see  him,  but  would  be  glad 
to  know  more  about  his  record  and  character. 

His  record  was  magnificent.  There  was  not  an  officer  in  the 
fleet  to  touch  him.  As  to  his  character,  he  was  reliable  on  duty, 
but  a  wild,  desperate  fellow  off  the  deck  of  his  ship— hot-headed, 


340       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

excitable,  but  loyal,  honest,  and  kind-hearted.  That  was  the 
pith  of  the  information  with  which  Holmes  left  the  office  of  the 
Adelaide-Southampton  company.  Thence  he  drove  to  Scot- 
land Yard,  but,  instead  of  entering,  he  sat  in  his  cab  with  his 
brows  drawn  down,  lost  in  profound  thought.  Finally  he 
drove  round  to  the  Chariag  Cross  telegraph  office,  sent  off  a 
message,  and  then,  at  last,  we  made  for  Baker  Street  once 
more. 

"  No,  I  couldn't  do  it,  Watson,"  said  he,  as  we  re-entered  our 
room.  "  Once  that  warrant  was  made  out,  nothing  on  earth 
would  save  him.  Once  or  twice  in  my  career  I  feel  that  I  have 
done  more  real  harm  by  my  discovery  of  the  criminal  than 
ever  he  had  done  by  his  crime.  I  have  learned  caution  now, 
and  I  had  rather  play  tricks  with  the  law  of  England  than  with 
my  own  conscience.  Let  us  know  a  little  more  before  we  act." 

Before  evening,  we  had  a  visit  from  Inspector  Stanley  Hop- 
kins. Things  were  not  going  very  well  with  him. 

"  I  believe  that  you  are  a  wizard,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  really  do 
sometimes  think  that  you  have  powers  that  are  not  human. 
Now,  how  on  earth  could  you  know  that  the  stolen  silver  was  at 
the  bottom  of  that  pond  ?  " 

"I  didn't  know  it." 

"  But  you  told  me  to  examine  it." 

"You  got  it,  then?" 

"Yes,  I  got  it." 

"  I  am  very  glad  if  I  have  helped  you." 

"But  you  haven't  helped  me.  You  have  made  the  affair 
far  more  difficult.  What  sort  of  burglars  are  they  who  steal 
silver,  and  then  throw  it  into  the  nearest  pond  ?  " 

"  It  was  certainly  rather  eccentric  behaviour.  I  was  merely 
going  on  the  idea  that  if  the  silver  had  been  taken  by  persons 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE     341 

who  did  not  want  it  —  who  merely  took  it  for  a  blind,  as  it 
were,  then  they  would  naturally  be  anxious  to  get  rid  of  it." 

"  But  why  should  such  an  idea  cross  your  mind  ?  " 

"Well,  I  thought  it  was  possible.  When  they  came  out 
through  the  French  window,  there  was  the  pond  with  one  tempt- 
ing little  hole  in  the  ice,  right  in  front  of  their  noses.  Could 
there  be  a  better  hiding-place  ?  " 

"Ah,  a  hiding-place  —  that  is  better!"  cried  Stanley  Hop- 
kins. "Yes,  yes,  I  see  it  all  now!  It  was  early,  there  were 
folk  upon  the  roads,  they  were  afraid  of  being  seen  with  the 
silver,  so  they  sank  it  in  the  pond,  intending  to  return  for  it 
when  the  coast  was  clear.  Excellent,  Mr.  Holmes  —  that  is 
better  than  your  idea  of  a  blind." 

"  Quite  so,  you  have  got  an  admirable  theory.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  my  own  ideas  were  quite  wild,  but  you  must  admit 
that  they  have  ended  in  discovering  the  silver." 

"Yes,  sir — yes.  It  was  all  your  doing.  But  I  have  had  a 
bad  setback." 

"A  setback?" 

"Yes,  Mr.  Holmes.  The  Randall  gang  were  arrested  in 
New  York  this  morning." 

"  Dear  me,  Hopkins !  That  is  certainly  rather  against  your 
theory,  that  they  committed  a  murder  in  Kent  last  night." 

"It  is  fatal,  Mr.  Holmes  —  absolutely  fatal.  Still,  there  are 
other  gangs  of  three  besides  the  Randalls,  or  it  may  be  some  new 
gang  of  which  the  police  have  never  heard." 

"  Quite  so,  it  is  perfectly  possible.     What,  are  you  off  ?  " 

**  Yes,  Mr.  Holmes,  there  is  no  rest  for  me  until  I  have  got 
to  the  bottom  of  the  business.  I  suppose  you  have  no  hint 
to  give  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  given  you  one." 


342  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"Which?" 

"  Well,  I  suggested  a  blind." 

"  But  why,  Mr.  Holmes,  why  ?  " 

"Ah,  that's  the  question,  of  course.  But  I  commend  the 
idea  to  your  mind.  You  might  possibly  find  that  there  was 
something  in  it.  You  won't  stop  for  dinner  ?  Well,  good-bye, 
and  let  us  know  how  you  get  on." 

Dinner  was  over,  and  the  table  cleared  before  Holmes  alluded 
to  the  matter  again.  He  had  lit  his  pipe  and  held  his  slippered 
feet  to  the  cheerful  blaze  of  the  fire.  Suddenly  he  looked  at 
his  watch. 

"  I  expect  developments,  Watson." 

"When?" 

"  Now  —  within  a  few  minutes.  I  dare  say  you  thought  I 
acted  rather  badly  to  Stanley  Hopkins  just  now  ?  " 

"  I  trust  your  judgment." 

"A  very  sensible  reply,  Watson.  You  must  look  at  it  this 
way:  what  I  know  is  unofficial,  what  he  knows  is  official.  I 
have  the  right  to  private  judgment,  but  he  has  none.  He 
must  disclose  all,  or  he  is  a  traitor  to  his  service.  In  a  doubt- 
ful case  I  would  not  put  him  in  so  painful  a  position,  and  so 
I  reserve  my  information  until  my  own  mind  is  clear  upon  the 
matter." 

"  But  when  will  that  be  ?  " 

"  The  time  has  come.  You  will  now  be  present  at  the  last 
scene  of  a  remarkable  little  drama." 

There  was  a  sound  upon  the  stairs,  and  our  door  was  opened 
to  admit  as  fine  a  specimen  of  manhood  as  ever  passed  through 
it.  He  was  a  very  tall  young  man,  golden-moustached,  blue- 
eyed,  with  a  skin  which  had  been  burned  by  tropical  suns,  and 
a  springy  step,  which  showed  that  the  huge  frame  was  as  active 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE     343 

as  it  was  strong.  He  closed  the  door  behind  him,  and  then  he 
stood  with  clenched  hands  and  heaving  breast,  choking  down 
some  overmastering  emotion. 

"  Sit  down,  Captain  Crocker.     You  got  my  telegram  ?  " 

Our  visitor  sank  into  an  arm-chair,  and  looked  from  one  to 
the  other  of  us  with  questioning  eyes. 

"  I  got  your  telegram,  and  I  came  at  the  hour  you  said.  I 
heard  that  you  had  been  down  to  the  office.  There  was  no 
getting  away  from  you.  Let's  hear  the  worst.  What  are  you 
going  to  do  with  me?  Arrest  me?  Speak  out,  man!  You 
can't  sit  there  and  play  with  me  like  a  cat  with  a  mouse." 

"  Give  him  a  cigar,"  said  Holmes.  "  Bite  on  that,  Captain 
Crocker,  and  don't  let  your  nerves  run  away  with  you.  I 
should  not  sit  here  smoking  with  you  if  I  thought  that  you 
were  a  common  criminal,  you  may  be  sure  of  that.  Be  frank 
with  me  and  we  may  do  some  good.  Play  tricks  with  me,  and 
I'll  crush  you." 

"  What  do  you  wish  me  to  do  ?  " 

"  To  give  me  a  true  account  of  all  that  happened  at  the  Abbey 
Grange  last  night  —  a  true  account,  mind  you,  with  nothing 
added  and  nothing  taken  off.  I  know  so  much  already  that  if 
you  go  one  inch  off  the  straight,  I'll  blow  this  police  whistle 
from  my  window  and  the  affair  goes  out  of  my  hands  forever." 

The  sailor  thought  for  a  little.  Then  he  struck  his  leg  with 
his  great  sun-burned  hand. 

"  I'll  chance  it,"  he  cried,  "  I  believe  you  are  a  man  of  your 
word,  and  a  white  man,  and  I'll  tell  you  the  whole  story.  But 
one  thing  I  will  say  first.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  regret 
nothing  and  I  fear  nothing,  and  I  would  do  it  all  again,  and  be 
proud  of  the  job.  Damn  the  beast,  if  he  had  as  many  lives  as  a 
cat,  he  would  owe  them  all  to  me !  But  it's  the  lady,  Mary  — 


344        THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

Mary  Fraser  —  for  never  will  I  call  her  by  that  accursed  name. 
When  I  think  of  getting  her  into  trouble,  I  who  would  give 
my  life  just  to  bring  one  smile  to  her  dear  face,  it's  that  that 
turns  my  soul  into  water.  And  yet  —  and  yet  —  what  less 
could  I  do  ?  I'll  tell  you  my  story,  gentlemen,  and  then  I'll 
ask  you,  as  man  to  man,  what  less  could  I  do. 

"  I  must  go  back  a  bit.  You  seem  to  know  everything,  so 
I  expect  that  you  know  that  I  met  her  when  she  was  a  passenger 
and  I  was  first  officer  of  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar.  From  the  first 
day  I  met  her,  she  was  the  only  woman  to  me.  Every  day  of 
that  voyage  I  loved  her  more,  and  many  a  time  since  have  I 
kneeled  down  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  watch  and  kissed 
the  deck  of  that  ship  because  I  knew  her  dear  feet  had  trod  it. 
She  was  never  engaged  to  me.  She  treated  me  as  fairly  as  ever 
a  woman  treated  a  man.  I  have  no  complaint  to  make.  It 
was  all  love  on  my  side,  and  all  good  comradeship  and  friend- 
ship on  hers.  When  we  parted  she  was  a  free  woman,  but  I 
could  never  again  be  a  free  man. 

"  Next  time  I  came  back  from  sea,  I  heard  of  her  marriage. 
Well,  why  shouldn't  she  marry  whom  she  liked  ?  Title  and 
money  —  who  could  carry  them  better  than  she  ?  She  was 
born  for  all  that  is  beautiful  and  dainty.  I  didn't  grieve  over 
her  marriage.  I  was  not  such  a  selfish  hound  as  that.  I  just 
rejoiced  that  good  luck  had  come  her  way,  and  that  she  had 
not  thrown  herself  away  on  a  penniless  sailor.  That's  how 
I  loved  Mary  Fraser. 

*'  Well,  I  never  thought  to  see  her  again,  but  last  voyage  I 
was  promoted,  and  the  new  boat  was  not  yet  launched,  so  I  had 
to  wait  for  a  couple  of  months  with  my  people  at  Sydenham. 
One  day  out  in  a  country  lane  I  met  Theresa  Wright,  her  old 
maid.  She  told  me  all  about  her,  about  him,  about  everything. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  345 

I  tell  you,  gentlemen,  it  nearly  drove  me  mad.  This  drunken 
hound,  that  he  should  dare  to  raise  his  hand  to  her,  whose  boots 
he  was  not  worthy  to  lick !  I  met  Theresa  again.  Then  I  met 
Mary  herself  —  and  met  her  again.  Then  she  would  meet 
me  no  more.  But  the  other  day  I  had  a  notice  that  I  was  to 
start  on  my  voyage  within  a  week,  and  I  determined  that  I 
would  see  her  once  before  I  left.  Theresa  was  always  my 
friend,  for  she  loved  Mary  and  hated  this  villain  almost  as 
much  as  I  did.  From  her  I  learned  the  ways  of  the  house. 
Mary  used  to  sit  up  reading  in  her  own  little  room  downstairs. 
I  crept  round  there  last  night  and  scratched  at  the  window. 
At  first  she  would  not  open  to  me,  but  in  her  heart  I  know  that 
now  she  loves  me,  and  she  could  not  leave  me  in  the  frosty 
night.  She  whispered  to  me  to  come  round  to  the  big  front 
window,  and  I  found  it  open  before  me,  so  as  to  let  me  into  the 
dining-room.  Again  I  heard  from  her  own  lips  things  that 
made  my  blood  boil,  and  again  I  cursed  this  brute,  who  mishan- 
dled the  woman  I  loved.  Well,  gentlemen,  I  was  standing  with 
her  just  inside  the  window,  in  all  innocence  as  God  is  my  judge, 
when  he  rushed  like  a  madman  into  the  room,  called  her  the 
vilest  name  that  a  man  could  use  to  a  woman,  and  welted 
her  across  the  face  with  the  stick  he  had  in  his  hand.  I 
had  sprung  for  the  poker,  and  it  was  a  fair  fight  between  us. 
See  here,  on  my  arm,  where  his  first  blow  fell.  Then  it 
was  my  turn,  and  I  went  through  him  as  if  he  had  been  a 
rotten  pumpkin.  Do  you  think  I  was  sorry  ?  Not  I  ! 
It  was  his  life  or  mine,  but  far  more  than  that,  it  was  his 
life  or  hers,  for  how  could  I  leave  her  in  the  power  of  this 
madman  ?  That  was  how  I  killed  him.  Was  I  wrong  ?  Well, 
then,  what  would  either  of  you  gentlemen  have  done,  if  you 
had  been  in  my  position  ? 


346       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  She  had  screamed  when  he  struck  her,  and  that  brought 
old  Theresa  down  from  the  room  above.  There  was  a  bottle 
of  wine  on  the  sideboard,  and  I  opened  it  and  poured  a  little 
between  Mary's  lips,  for  she  was  half  dead  with  shock.  Then 
I  took  a  drop  myself.  Theresa  was  as  cool  as  ice,  and  it  was 
her  plot  as  much  as  mine.  We  must  make  it  appear  that  bur- 
glars had  done  the  thing.  Theresa  kept  on  repeating  our 
story  to  her  mistress,  while  I  swarmed  up  and  cut  the  rope  of 
the  bell.  Then  I  lashed  her  in  her  chair,  and  frayed  out  the 
end  of  the  rope  to  make  it  look  natural,  else  they  would  wonder 
how  in  the  world  a  burglar  could  have  got  up  there  to  cut  it. 
Then  I  gathered  up  a  few  plates  and  pots  of  silver,  to  carry  out 
the  idea  of  the  robbery,  and  there  I  left  them,  with  orders  to  give 
the  alarm  when  I  had  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  start.  I  dropped 
the  silver  into  the  pond,  and  made  off  for  Sydenham,  feel- 
ing that  for  once  in  my  life  I  had  done  a  real  good  night's  work. 
And  that's  the  truth  and  the  whole  truth,  Mr.  Holmes,  if  it 
costs  me  my  neck." 

Holmes  smoked  for  some  time  in  silence.  Then  he  crossed 
the  room,  and  shook  our  visitor  by  the  hand. 

"  That's  what  I  think,"  said  he.  "  I  know  that  every  word 
is  true,  for  you  have  hardly  said  a  word  which  I  did  not  know. 
No  one  but  an  acrobat  or  a  sailor  could  have  got  up  to  that  bell- 
rope  from  the  bracket,  and  no  one  but  a  sailor  could  have 
made  the  knots  with  which  the  cord  was  fastened  to  the  chair. 
Only  once  had  this  lady  been  brought  into  contact  with  sailors, 
and  that  was  on  her  voyage,  and  it  was  someone  of  her  own 
class  of  life,  since  she  was  trying  hard  to  shield  him,  and  so 
showing  that  she  loved  him.  You  see  how  easy  it  was  for  me 
to  lay  my  hands  upon  you  when  once  I  had  started  upon  the 
right  trail." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  ABBEY  GRANGE  347 

"I  thought  the  police  never  could  have  seen  through  our 
dodge." 

"  And  the  police  haven't,  nor  will  they,  to  the  best  of  my 
belief.  Now,  look  here,  Captain  Crocker,  this  is  a  very  serious 
matter,  though  I  am  willing  to  admit  that  you  acted  under  the 
most  extreme  provocation  to  which  any  man  could  be  sub- 
jected. I  am  not  sure  that  in  defence  of  your  own  h'fe  your 
action  will  not  be  pronounced  legitimate.  However,  that  is 
for  a  British  jury  to  decide.  Meanwhile  I  have  so  much  sym- 
pathy for  you  that,  if  you  choose  to  disappear  in  the  next  twenty- 
four  hours,  I  will  promise  you  that  no  one  will  hinder  you." 

"  And  then  it  will  all  come  out  ?  " 

"  Certainly  it  will  come  out." 

The  sailor  flushed  with  anger. 

"  What  sort  of  proposal  is  that  to  make  a  man  ?  I  know 
enough  of  law  to  understand  that  Mary  would  be  held  as  accom- 
plice. Do  you  think  I  would  leave  her  alone  to  face  the  music 
while  I  slunk  away?  No,  sir,  let  them  do  their  worst  upon 
me,  but  for  Heaven's  sake,  Mr.  Holmes,  find  some  way  of 
keeping  my  poor  Mary  out  of  the  courts." 

Holmes  for  a  second  time  held  out  his  hand  to  the  sailor. 

"  I  was  only  testing  you,  and  you  ring  true  every  time.  Well, 
it  is  a  great  responsibility  that  I  take  upon  myself,  but  I  have 
given  Hopkins  an  excellent  hint,  and  if  he  can't  avail  himself  of 
it  I  can  do  no  more.  See  here,  Captain  Crocker,  we'll  do  this  in 
due  form  of  law.  You  are  the  prisoner.  Watson,  you  are  a 
British  jury,  and  I  never  met  a  man  who  was  more  eminently 
fitted  to  represent  one.  I  am  the  judge.  Now,  gentleman  of 
the  jury,  you  have  heard  the  evidence.  Do  you  find  the  prisoner 
guilty  or  not  guilty  ?  " 

"  Not  guilty,  my  lord,"  said  I. 


348  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Vox  populi,  vox  Dei.  You  are  acquitted,  Captaia  Crocker. 
So  long  as  the  law  does  not  find  some  other  victim  you  are  safe 
from  me.  Come  back  to  this  lady  in  a  year,  and  may  her  fu- 
ture and  yours  justify  us  in  the  judgment  which  we  have  pro- 
nounced this  night ! " 


XIII 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF 
THE  SECOND  STAIN 

1  HAD  intended  "  The  Adventure  of  the  Abbey  Grange "  to 
be  the  last  of  those  exploits  of  my  friend,  Mr.  Sherlock  Holmes, 
which  I  should  ever  communicate  to  the  public.  This  resolution 
of  mine  was  not  due  to  any  lack  of  material,  since  I  have  notes 
of  many  hundreds  of  cases  to  which  I  have  never  alluded,  nor 
was  it  caused  by  any  waning  interest  on  the  part  of  my  readers 
in  the  singular  personality  and  unique  methods  of  this  remark- 
able man.  The  real  reason  lay  in  the  reluctance  which  Mr. 
Holmes  has  shown  to  the  continued  publication  of  his  experi- 
ences. So  long  as  he  was  in  actual  professional  practice  the 
records  of  his  successes  were  of  some  practical  value  to  him,  but 
since  he  has  definitely  retired  from  London  and  betaken  him- 
self to  study  and  bee-farming  on  the  Sussex  Downs,  notoriety 
has  become  hateful  to  him,  and  he  has  peremptorily  requested 
that  his  wishes  in  this  matter  should  be  strictly  observed.  It 
was  only  upon  my  representing  to  him  that  I  had  given  a  prom- 
ise that  "  The  Adventure  of  the  Second  Stain  "  should  be  pub- 
lished when  the  times  were  ripe,  and  pointing  out  to  him  that 
it  is  only  appropriate  that  this  long  series  of  episodes  should 
culminate  in  the  most  important  international  case  which  he 


350  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

has  ever  been  called  upon  to  handle,  that  I  at  last  succeeded 
in  obtaining  his  consent  that  a  carefully  guarded  account  of 
the  incident  should  at  last  be  laid  before  the  public.  If  in  telling 
the  story  I  seem  to  be  somewhat  vague  in  certain  details,  the 
public  will  readily  understand  that  there  is  an  excellent  reason 
for  my  reticence. 

It  was,  then,  in  a  year,  and  even  in  a  decade,  that  shall  be 
nameless,  that  upon  one  Tuesday  morning  in  autumn  we  found 
two  visitors  of  European  fame  within  the  walls  of  our  humble 
room  in  Baker  Street.  The  one,  austere,  high-nosed,  eagle- 
eyed,  and  dominant,  was  none  other  than  the  illustrious 
Lord  Bellinger,  twice  Premier  of  Britain.  The  other,  dark, 
clear-cut,  and  elegant,  hardly  yet  of  middle  age,  and  en- 
dowed with  every  beauty  of  body  and  of  mind,  was  the 
Right  Honourable  Trelawney  Hope,  Secretary  for  European 
Affairs,  and  the  most  rising  statesman  in  the  country.  They 
sat  side  by  side  upon  our  paper-littered  settee,  and  it  was  easy 
to  see  from  their  worn  and  anxious  faces  that  it  was  business 
of  the  most  pressing  importance  which  had  brought  them. 
The  Premier's  thin,  blue-veined  hands  were  clasped  tightly 
over  the  ivory  head  of  his  umbrella,  and  his  gaunt,  ascetic  face 
looked  gloomily  from  Holmes  to  me.  The  European  Secretary 
pulled  nervously  at  his  moustache  and  fidgeted  with  the  seals 
of  his  watch-chain. 

"When  I  discovered  my  loss,  Mr.  Holmes,  which  was  at 
eight  o'clock  this  morning,  I  at  once  informed  the  Prime 
Minister.  It  was  at  his  suggestion  that  we  have  both  come 
to  you." 

"  Have  you  informed  the  police  ?  " 

"No,  sir,'*  said  the  Prime  Minister,  with  the  quick, decisive 
manner  for  which  he  was  famous.  *'  We  have  not  done  so,  nor 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  351 

is  it  possible  that  we  should  do  so.  To  inform  the  police  must, 
in  the  long  run,  mean  to  inform  the  public.  This  is  what  we 
particularly  desire  to  avoid." 

"And  why,  sir?" 

"Because  the  document  in  question  is  of  such  immense 
importance  that  its  publication  might  very  easily  —  I  might 
almost  say  probably  —  lead  to  European  complications  of  the 
utmost  moment.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  peace  or  war  may 
hang  upon  the  issue.  Unless  its  recovery  can  be  attended  with 
the  utmost  secrecy,  then  it  may  as  well  not  be  recovered  at  all, 
for  all  that  is  aimed  at  by  those  who  have  taken  it  is  that  its  con- 
tents should  be  generally  known." 

"I  understand.  Now,  Mr.  Trelawney  Hope,  I  should  be 
much  obliged  if  you  would  tell  me  exactly  the  circumstances 
under  which  this  document  disappeared." 

"  That  can  be  done  in  a  very  few  words,  Mr.  Holmes.  The 
letter  —  for  it  was  a  letter  from  a  foreign  potentate  —  was  re- 
ceived six  days  ago.  It  was  of  such  importance  that  I  have  never 
left  it  in  my  safe,  but  I  have  taken  it  across  each  evening  to  my 
house  in  Whitehall  Terrace,  and  kept  it  in  my  bedroom  in  a 
locked  despatch-box.  It  was  there  last  night.  Of  that  I  am  cer- 
tain. I  actually  opened  the  box  while  I  was  dressing  for  dinner, 
and  saw  the  document  inside.  This  morning  it  was  gone.  The 
despatch-box  had  stood  beside  the  glass  upon  my  dressing- 
table  all  night.  I  am  a  light  sleeper,  and  so  is  my  wife.  We  are 
both  prepared  to  swear  that  no  one  could  have  entered  the 
room  during  the  night.  And  yet  I  repeat  that  the  paper  is 
gone." 

"  What  time  did  you  dine  ?  " 

"  Half-past  seven." 

"  How  long  was  it  before  you  went  to  bed  ?  " 


352       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  My  wife  had  gone  to  the  theatre.  I  waited  up  for  her.  It  was 
half-past  eleven  before  we  went  to  our  room." 

"Then  for  four  hours  the  despatch-box  had  lain  un- 
guarded ?  " 

"  No  one  is  ever  permitted  to  enter  that  room  save  the  house- 
maid in  the  morning,  and  my  valet,  or  my  wife's  maid,  during 
the  rest  of  the  day.  They  are  both  trusty  servants  who  have  been 
with  us  for  some  time.  Besides,  neither  of  them  could  possibly 
have  known  that  there  was  anything  more  valuable  than  the 
ordinary  departmental  papers  in  my  despatch-box." 

"  Who  did  know  of  the  existence  of  that  letter  ?  " 

**  No  one  in  the  house." 

"  Surely  your  wife  knew  ?  " 

"No,  sir.  I  had  said  nothing  to  my  wife  until  I  missed  the 
paper  this  morning." 

The  Premier  nodded  approvingly. 

"*I  have  long  known,  sir,  how  high  is  your  sense  of  public 
duty,"  said  he.  **  I  am  convinced  that  in  the  case  of  a  secret  of 
this  importance  it  would  rise  superior  to  the  most  intimate 
domestic  ties." 

The  European  Secretary  bowed. 

**  You  do  me  no  more  than  justice,  sir.  Until  this  morning  I 
have  never  breathed  one  word  to  my  wife  upon  this  matter." 

"  Could  she  have  guessed  ?  " 

*  No,  Mr.  Holmes,  she  could  not  have  guessed  —  nor  could 
anyone  have  guessed." 

"  Have  you  lost  any  documents  before  ?  " 

"No,  sir." 

"Who  is  there  in  England  who  did  know  of  the  existence 
of  this  letter?" 

"  Each  member  of  the  Cabinet  was  informed  of  it  yesterday, 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  353 

but  the  pledge  of  secrecy  which  attends  every  Cabinet  meeting 
was  increased  by  the  solemn  warning  which  was  given  by  the 
Prime  Minister.  Good  heavens,  to  think  that  within  a  few 
hours  I  should  myself  have  lost  it ! "  His  handsome  face  was  dis- 
torted with  a  spasm  of  despair,  and  his  hands  tore  at  his  hair- 
For  a  moment  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  natural  man,  impui- 
sive,  ardent,  keenly  sensitive.  The  next  the  aristocratic  mask 
was  replaced,  and  the  gentle  voice  had  returned.  "  Besides  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet  there  are  two,  or  possibly  three,  depart- 
mental officials  who  know  of  the  letter.  No  one  else  in  England, 
Mr.  Holmes,  I  assure  you." 

"But  abroad?'* 

"  I  believe  that  no  one  abroad  has  seen  it  save  the  man  who 
wrote  it.  I  am  well  convinced  that  his  Ministers  —  that  the 
usual  official  channels  have  not  been  employed." 

Holmes  considered  for  some  little  time. 

"  Now,  sir,  I  must  ask  you  more  particularly  what  this  docu- 
ment is,  and  why  its  disappearance  should  have  such  momen- 
tous consequences  ?  " 

The  two  statesmen  exchanged  a  quick  glance  and  the 
Premier's  shaggy  eyebrows  gathered  in  a  frown. 

"  Mr.  Holmes,  the  envelope  is  a  long,  thin  one  of  pale  blue 
colour.  There  is  a  seal  of  red  wax  stamped  with  a  crouching  lion. 
It  is  addressed  in  large,bold  handwriting  to  —  " 

"I  fear,  sir,"  said  Holmes,  "that,  interesting  and  indeed 
essential  as  these  details  are,  my  inquiries  must  go  more  to  the 
root  of  things.  What  was  the  letter  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  State  secret  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  I  fear 
that  I  can  not  tell  you,  nor  do  I  see  that  it  is  necessary.  If  by 
the  aid  of  the  powers  which  you  are  said  to  possess  you  can  find 
such  an  envelope  as  I  describe  with  its  inclosure,  you  will  have 


354       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

deserved  well  of  your  country,  and  earned  any  reward  which  it 
lies  in  our  power  to  bestow." 

Sherlock  Holmes  rose  with  a  smile. 

"  You  are  two  of  the  most  busy  men  in  the  country,"  said  he, 
"  and  hi  my  own  small  way  I  have  also  a  good  many  calls  upon 
me.  I  regret  exceedingly  that  I  can  not  help  you  in  this  matter, 
and  any  continuation  of  this  interview  would  be  a  waste  of 
tune." 

The  Premier  sprang  to  his  feet  with  that  quick,  fierce  gleam 
of  his  deep-set  eyes  before  which  a  Cabinet  has  cowered.  "  I  am 
not  accustomed,  sir,"  he  began,  but  mastered  his  anger  and  re- 
sumed his  seat.  For  a  minute  or  more  we  all  sat  in  silence.  Then 
the  old  statesman  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"We  must  accept  your  terms,  Mr.  Holmes.  No  doubt  you 
are  right,  and  it  is  unreasonable  for  us  to  expect  you  to  act 
unless  we  give  you  our  entire  confidence." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  the  younger  statesman. 

"  Then  I  will  tell  you,  relying  entirely  upon  your  honour  and 
that  of  your  colleague,  Dr.  Watson.  I  may  appeal  to  your  pa- 
triotism also,  for  I  could  not  imagine  a  greater  misfortune  for 
the  country  than  that  this  affair  should  come  out." 

"You  may  safely  trust  us." 

"The  letter,  then,  is  from  a  certain  foreign  potentate  who 
has  been  ruffled  by  some  recent  Colonial  developments  of  this 
country.  It  has  been  written  hurriedly  and  upon  his  own  respon- 
sibility entirely.  Inquiries  have  shown  that  his  Ministers  know 
nothing  of  the  matter.  At  the  same  time  it  is  couched  in  so  un- 
fortunate a  manner,  and  certain  phrases  in  it  are  of  so  provo- 
cative a  character,  that  its  pubh'cation  would  undoubtedly  lead 
to  a  most  dangerous  state  of  feeling  in  this  country.  There 
would  be  such  a  ferment,  sir,  that  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  355 

within  a  week  of  the  publication  of  that  letter  this  country 
would  be  involved  in  a  great  war." 

Holmes  wrote  a  name  upon  a  slip  of  paper  and  handed  it  to 
the  Premier. 

"  Exactly.  It  was  he.  And  it  is  this  letter  —  this  letter  which 
may  well  mean  the  expenditure  of  a  thousand  millions  and  the 
lives  of  a  hundred  thousand  men  —  which  has  become  lost  in 
this  unaccountable  fashion." 

'*  Have  you  informed  the  sender  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  a  cipher  telegram  has  been  despatched." 

"  Perhaps  he  desires  the  publication  of  the  letter." 

"No,  sir,  we  have  strong  reason  to  believe  that  he  already 
understands  that  he  has  acted  in  an  indiscreet  and  hot-headed 
manner.  It  would  be  a  greater  blow  to  him  and  to  his  country 
than  to  us  if  this  letter  were  to  come  out." 

"  If  this  is  so,  whose  interest  is  it  that  the  letter  should  come 
out  ?  Why  should  anyone  desire  to  steal  it  or  to  publish  it  ?  " 

"There,  Mr.  Holmes,  you  take  me  into  regions  of  high  in- 
ternational politics.  But  if  you  consider  the  European  situation 
you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  perceiving  the  motive.  The  whole 
of  Europe  is  an  armed  camp.  There  is  a  double  league  which 
makes  a  fair  balance  of  military  power.  Great  Britain  holds  the 
scales.  If  Britain  were  driven  into  war  with  one  confederacy,  it 
would  assure  the  supremacy  of  the  other  confederacy,  whether 
they  joined  in  the  war  or  not.  Do  you  follow  ?  " 

"Very  clearly.  It  is  then  the  interest  of  the  enemies  of  this 
potentate  to  secure  and  publish  this  letter,  so  as  to  make  a 
breach  between  his  country  and  ours  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  And  to  whom  would  this  document  be  sent  if  it  fell  into  the 
hands  of  an  enemy  ?  " 


356       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  To  any  of  the  great  Chancelleries  of  Europe.  It  is  probably 
speeding  on  its  way  thither  at  the  present  instant  as  fast  as  steam 
can  take  it." 

Mr.  Trelawney  Hope  dropped  his  head  on  his  chest  and 
groaned  aloud.  The  Premier  placed  his  hand  kindly  upon  his 
shoulder. 

"It  is  your  misfortune,  my  dear  fellow.  No  one  can  blame 
you.  There  is  no  precaution  which  you  have  neglected.  Now, 
Mr.  Holmes,  you  are  in  full  possession  of  the  facts.  What  course 
do  you  recommend  ?  " 

Holmes  shook  his  head  mournfully. 

"  You  think,  sir,  that  unless  this  document  is  recovered  there 
will  be  war  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  is  very  probable." 

"Then,  sir,  prepare  for  war." 

"That  is  a  hard  saying,  Mr.  Holmes." 

"  Consider  the  facts,  sir.  It  is  inconceivable  that  it  was  taken 
after  eleven-thirty  at  night,  since  I  understand  that  Mr.  Hope 
and  his  wife  were  both  in  the  room  from  that  hour  until  the 
loss  was  found  out.  It  was  taken,  then,  yesterday  evening  be- 
tween seven-thirty  and  eleven-thirty,  probably  near  the  earlier 
hour,  since  whoever  took  it  evidently  knew  that  it  was  there, 
and  would  naturally  secure  it  as  early  as  possible.  Now,  sir,  if  a 
document  of  this  importance  were  taken  at  that  hour,  where 
can  it  be  now?  No  one  has  any  reason  to  retain  it.  It  has 
been  passed  rapidly  on  to  those  who  need  it.  What  chance 
have  we  now  to  overtake  or  even  to  trace  it?  It  is  beyond 
our  reach." 

The  Prime  Minister  rose  from  the  settee. 

"  What  you  say  is  perfectly  logical,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  feel  that 
the  matter  is  indeed  out  of  our  hands." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  357 

"Let  us  presume,  for  argument's  sake,  that  the  document 
was  taken  by  the  maid  or  by  the  valet  —  " 

"  They  are  both  old  and  tried  servants." 

"  I  understand  you  to  say  that  your  room  is  on  the  second 
floor,  that  there  is  no  entrance  from  without,  and  that  from 
within  no  one  could  go  up  unobserved.  It  must,  then,  be  some- 
body in  the  house  who  has  taken  it.  To  whom  would  the  thief 
take  it  ?  To  one  of  several  international  spies  and  secret  agents, 
whose  names  are  tolerably  familiar  to  me.  There  are  three  who 
may  be  said  to  be  the  heads  of  their  profession.  I  will  begin  my 
research  by  going  round  and  finding  if  each  of  them  is  at  his 
post.  If  one  is  missing  —  especially  if  he  has  disappeared  since 
last  night  —  we  will  have  some  indication  as  to  where  the  docu- 
ment has  gone." 

"Why  should  he  be  missing?"  asked  the  European  Secre- 
tary. "  He  would  take  the  letter  to  an  Embassy  in  London,  as 
likely  as  not." 

"I  fancy  not.  These  agents  work  independently,  and  their 
relations  with  the  Embassies  are  often  strained." 

The  Prime  Minister  nodded  his  acquiescence. 

"I  believe  you  are  right,  Mr.  Holmes.  He  would  take  so 
valuable  a  prize  to  headquarters  with  his  own  hands.  I  think 
that  your  course  of  action  is  an  excellent  one.  Meanwhile,  Hope, 
we  can  not  neglect  all  our  other  duties  on  account  of  this  one 
misfortune.  Should  there  be  any  fresh  developments  during  the 
day  we  shall  communicate  with  you,  and  you  will  no  doubt  let 
us  know  the  results  of  your  own  inquiries." 

The  two  statesmen  bowed  and  walked  gravely  from  the 
room. 

When  our  illustrious  visitors  had  departed  Holmes  lit  his  pipe 
in  silence,  and  sat  for  some  time  lost  in  the  deepest  thought. 


358  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

I  had  opened  the  morning  paper  and  was  immersed  in  a  sensa- 
tional crime  which  had  occurred  in  London  the  night  before, 
when  my  friend  gave  an  exclamation,  sprang  to  his  feet,  and 
laid  his  pipe  down  upon  the  mantelpiece. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  "there  is  no  better  way  of  approaching  it. 
The  situation  is  desperate,  but  not  hopeless.  Even  now,  if  we 
could  be  sure  which  of  them  has  taken  it,  it  is  just  possible  that 
it  has  not  yet  passed  out  of  his  hands.  After  all,  it  is  a  question  of 
money  with  these  fellows,  and  I  have  the  British  treasury  be- 
hind me.  If  it's  on  the  market  I'll  buy  it  —  if  it  means  another 
penny  on  the  income-tax.  It  is  conceivable  that  the  fellow 
might  hold  it  back  to  see  what  bids  come  from  this  side  before 
he  tries  his  luck  on  the  other.  There  are  only  those  three 
capable  of  playing  so  bold  a  game  -  there  are  Oberstein,  La 
Rothiere,  and  Eduardo  Lucas.  I  will  see  each  of  them.'* 

I  glanced  at  my  morning  paper. 

"  Is  that  Eduardo  Lucas  of  Godolphin  Street  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  You  will  not  see  him." 

"Why  not?" 

"  He  was  murdered  in  his  house  last  night." 

My  friend  has  so  often  astonished  me  in  the  course  of  our 
adventures  that  it  was  with  a  sense  of  exultation  that  I  real- 
ized how  completely  I  had  astonished  him.  He  stared  in  amaze- 
ment, and  then  snatched  the  paper  from  my  hands.  This  was 
the  paragraph  which  I  had  been  engaged  in  reading  when  he 
rose  from  his  chair. 

MURDER  IN  WESTMINSTER 

A  crime  of  mysterious  character  was  committed  last  night  at  16,  Godolphin 
Street,  one  of  the  old-fashioned  and  secluded  rows  of  eighteenth  century  houses 
which  lie  between  the  river  and  the  Abbey,  almost  in  the  shadow  of  the  great 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  359 

Tower  of  the  Houses  of  Parliament.  This  small  but  select  mansion  has  been  in- 
habited for  some  years  by  Mr.  Eduardo  Lucas,  well  known  in  society  circles 
both  on  account  of  his  charming  personality  and  because  he  has  the  well- 
deserved  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best  amateur  tenors  in  the  country. 
Mr.  Lucas  is  an  unmarried  man,  thirty-four  years  of  age,  and  his  establishment 
consists  of  Mrs.  Pringle,  an  elderly  housekeeper,  and  of  Mitton,  his  valet.  The 
former  retires  early  and  sleeps  at  the  top  of  the  house.  The  valet  was  out  for 
the  evening,  visiting  a  friend  at  Hammersmith.  From  ten  o'clock  onward  Mr. 
Lucas  had  the  house  to  himself.  What  occurred  during  that  time  has  not  yet 
transpired,  but  at  a  quarter  to  twelve  Police-constable  Barrett,  passing  along 
Godolphin  Street,  observed  that  the  door  of  No.  16  was  ajar.  He  knocked, 
but  received  no  answer.  Perceiving  a  light  in  the  front  room,  he  advanced 
into  the  passage  and  again  knocked,  but  without  reply.  He  then  pushed  open 
the  door  and  entered.  The  room  was  in  a  state  of  wild  disorder,  the  furniture 
being  all  swept  to  one  side,  and  one  chair  lying  on  its  back  in  the  centre. 
Beside  this  chair,  and  still  grasping  one  of  its  legs,  lay  the  unfortunate  tenant 
of  the  house.  He  had  been  stabbed  to  the  heart  and  must  have  died  instantly. 
The  knife  with  which  the  crime  had  been  committed  was  a  curved  Indian 
dagger,  plucked  down  from  a  trophy  of  Oriental  arms  which  adorned  one  of 
the  walls.  Robbery  does  not  appear  to  have  been  the  motive  of  the  crime,  for 
there  had  been  no  attempt  to  remove  the  valuable  contents  of  the  room.  Mr. 
Eduardo  Lucas  was  so  well  known  and  popular  that  his  violent  and  mysterious 
fate  will  arouse  painful  interest  and  intense  sympathy  in  a  widespread  circle  of 
friends. 

"Well,  Watson,  what  do  you  make  of  this  ?"  asked  Holmes, 
after  a  long  pause. 

"  It  is  an  amazing  coincidence. " 

"A  coincidence!  Here  is  one  of  the  three  men  whom  we  had 
named  as  possible  actors  in  this  drama,  and  he  meets  a  violent 
death  during  the  very  hours  when  we  know  that  that  drama 
was  being  enacted.  The  odds  are  enormous  against  its  being 
coincidence.  No  figures  could  express  them.  No,  my  dear 
Watson,  the  two  events  are  connected  —  must  be  connected.  It 
is  for  us  to  find  the  connection." 

"But  now  the  official  police  must  know  all." 

"Not  at  all.  They  know  all  they  see  at  Godolphin  Street. 


360       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

They  know  —  and  shall  know  —  nothing  of  Whitehall  Terrace. 
Only  we  know  of  both  events,  and  can  trace  the  relation  between 
them.  There  is  one  obvious  point  which  would,  in  any  case, 
have  turned  my  suspicions  against  Lucas.  Godolphin  Street, 
Westminster,  is  only  a  few  minutes'  walk  from  Whitehall  Ter- 
race. The  other  secret  agents  whom  I  have  named  live  in  the 
extreme  West  End.  It  was  easier,  therefore,  for  Lucas  than 
for  the  others  to  establish  a  connection  or  receive  a  message 
from  the  European  Secretary's  household  —  a  small  thing,  and 
yet  where  events  are  compressed  into  a  few  hours  it  may  prove 
essential.  Halloa !  what  have  we  here  ?  " 

Mrs.  Hudson  had  appeared  with  a  lady's  card  upon  her  sal- 
ver. Holmes  glanced  at  it,  raised  his  eyebrows,  and  handed  it 
over  to  me. 

"Ask  Lady  Hilda  Trelawney  Hope  if  she  will  be  kind  enough 
to  step  up,"  said  he. 

A  moment  later  our  modest  apartment,  already  so  distin- 
guished that  morning,  was  further  honoured  by  the  entrance  of 
the  most  lovely  woman  in  London.  I  had  often  heard  of  the 
beauty  of  the  youngest  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Belminster, 
but  no  description  of  it,  and  no  contemplation  of  colourless  pho- 
tographs, had  prepared  me  for  the  subtle,  delicate  charm  and 
the  beautiful  colouring  of  that  exquisite  head.  And  yet  as  we 
saw  it  that  autumn  morning,  it  was  not  its  beauty  which  would 
be  the  first  thing  to  impress  the  observer.  The  cheek  was  lovely 
but  it  was  paled  with  emotion,  the  eyes  were  bright,but  it  was 
the  brightness  of  fever,  the  sensitive  mouth  was  tight  and  drawn 
in  an  effort  after  self-command.  Terror  —  not  beauty  —  was 
what  sprang  first  to  the  eye  as  our  fair  visitor  stood  framed  for 
an  instant  in  the  open  door. 

"  Has  my  husband  been  here,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  361 

"  Yes,  madam,  he  has  been  here." 

"  Mr.  Holmes,  I  implore  you  not  to  tell  him  that  I  came  here." 
Holmes  bowed  coldly,  and  motioned  the  lady  to  a  chair. 

"  You  ladyship  places  me  in  a  very  delicate  position.  I  beg 
that  you  will  sit  down  and  tell  me  what  you  desire,  but  I  fear 
that  I  can  not  make  any  unconditional  promise." 

She  swept  across  the  room  and  seated  herself  with  her  back 
to  the  window.  It  was  a  queenly  presence  —  tall,  graceful,  and 
intensely  womanly. 

"  Mr.  Holmes,"  she  said  —  and  her  white-gloved  hands 
clasped  and  unclasped  as  she  spoke  — "  I  will  speak  frankly  to 
you  in  the  hopes  that  it  may  induce  you  to  speak  frankly  in  re- 
turn. There  is  complete  confidence  between  my  husband  and 
me  on  all  matters  save  one.  That  one  is  politics.  On  this  his 
lips  are  sealed.  He  tells  me  nothing.  Now,  I  am  aware  that 
there  was  a  most  deplorable  occurrence  in  our  house  last 
night.  I  know  that  a  paper  has  disappeared.  But  because  the 
matter  is  political  my  husband  refuses  to  take  me  into  his  com- 
plete confidence.  Now  it  is  essential  —  essential,  I  say  —  that 
I  should  thoroughly  understand  it.  You  are  the  only  other  per- 
son, save  only  these  politicians,  who  knows  the  true  facts.  I  beg 
you  then,  Mr.  Holmes,  to  tell  me  exactly  what  has  happened 
and  what  it  will  lead  to.  Tell  me  all,  Mr.  Holmes.  Let  no  re- 
gard for  your  client's  interests  keep  you  silent,  for  I  assure  you 
that  his  interests,  if  he  would  only  see  it,  would  be  best  served 
by  taking  me  into  his  complete  confidence.  What  was  this  paper 
which  was  stolen  ?  " 

"  Madam,  what  you  ask  me  is  really  impossible. " 

She  groaned  and  sank  her  face -in  her  hands. 

"You  must  see  that  this  is  so,  madam.  If  your  husband 
thinks  fit  to  keep  you  in  the  dark  over  this  matter,  is  it  for  me, 


362       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

who  have  only  learned  the  true  facts  under  the  pledge  of  pro- 
fessional secrecy,  to  tell  what  he  has  withheld  ?  It  is  not  fair  to 
ask  it.  It  is  him  whom  you  must  ask."  . 

"I  have  asked  him.  I  come  to  you  as  a  last  resource.  But 
without  your  telling  me  anything  definite,  Mr.  Holmes,  you 
may  do  a  great  service  if  you  would  enlighten  me  on  one  point." 

"  What  is  it,  madam  ?  " 

"Is  my  husband's  political  career  likely  to  suffer  through 
this  incident  ?  " 

"  Well,  madam,  unless  it  is  set  right  it  may  certainly  have  a 
very  unfortunate  effect." 

"Ah!"  She  drew  in  her  breath  sharply  as  one  whose  doubts 
are  resolved. 

"One  more  question,  Mr.  Holmes.  From  an  expression 
which  my  husband  dropped  in  the  first  shock  of  this  disaster  I 
understood  that  terrible  public  consequences  might  arise  from 
the  loss  of  this  document." 

"  If  he  said  so,  I  certainly  can  not  deny  it." 

"  Of  what  nature  are  they  ?  " 

"  Nay,  madam,  there  again  you  ask  me  more  than  I  can 
possibly  answer." 

"  Then  I  will  take  up  no  more  of  your  time.  I  can  not  blame 
you,  Mr.  Holmes,  for  having  refused  to  speak  more  freely,  and 
you  on  your  side  will  not,  I  am  sure,  think  the  worse  of  me 
because  I  desire,  even  against  his  will,  to  share  my  husband's 
anxieties.  Once  more  I  beg  that  you  will  say  nothing  of  my 
visit." 

She  looked  back  at  us  from  the  door,  and  I  had  a  last 
impression  of  that  beautiful  haunted  face,  the  startled  eyes,  and 
the  drawn  mouth.  Then  she  was  gone. 

"Now,  Watson,  the  fair  sex  is  your  department,"   said 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  363 

Holmes,  with  a  smile,  when  the  dwindling  frou-frou  of  skirts 
had  ended  in  the  slam  of  the  front  door.  "  What  was  the  fair 
lady's  game  ?  What  did  she  really  want  ?  " 

"Surely  her  own  statement  is  clear  and  her  anxiety  very 
natural." 

"  Hum !  Think  of  her  appearance,  Watson  —  her  manner, 
her  suppressed  excitement,  her  restlessness,  her  tenacity  in  ask- 
ing questions.  Remember  that  she  comes  of  a  caste  who  do  not 
lightly  show  emotion." 

"  She  was  certainly  much  moved." 

"  Remember  also  the  curious  earnestness  with  which  she  as- 
sured us  that  it  was  best  for  her  husband  that  she  should  know 
all.  What  did  she  mean  by  that  ?  And  you  must  have  observed, 
Watson,  how  she  manoeuvred  to  have  the  light  at  her  back.  She 
did  not  wish  us  to  read  her  expression." 

"  Yes,  she  chose  the  one  chair  in  the  room." 

"  And  yet  the  motives  of  women  are  so  inscrutable.  You 
remember  the  woman  at  Margate  whom  I  suspected  for  the 
same  reason.  No  powder  on  her  nose  —  that  proved  to  be  the 
correct  solution.  How  can  you  build  on  such  a  quicksand? 
Their  most  trivial  action  may  mean  volumes,  or  their  most  ex- 
traordinary conduct  may  depend  upon  a  hairpin  or  a  curling 
tongs.  Good  morning,  Watson." 

"You  are  off?" 

"Yes,  I  will  while  away  the  morning  at  Godolphin  Street 
with  our  friends  of  the  regular  establishment.  With  Eduardo 
Lucas  lies  the  solution  of  our  problem,  though  I  must  admit 
that  I  have  not  an  inkling  as  to  what  form  it  may  take.  It  is  a 
capital  mistake  to  theorize  in  advance  of  the  facts.  Do  you  stay 
on  guard,  my  good  Watson,  and  receive  any  fresh  visitors.  I'll 
join  you  at  lunch  if  I  am  able." 


364  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

All  that  day  and  the  next  and  the  next  Holmes  was  in  a  mood 
which  his  friends  would  call  taciturn,  and  others  morose.  He 
ran  out  and  ran  in,  smoked  incessantly,  played  snatches  on  his 
violin,  sank  into  reveries,  devoured  sandwiches  at  irregular 
hours,  and  hardly  answered  the  casual  questions  which  I  put  to 
him.  It  was  evident  to  me  that  things  were  not  going  well  with 
him  or  his  quest.  He  would  say  nothing  of  the  case,  and  it  was 
from  the  papers  that  I  learned  the  particulars  of  the  inquest,  and 
the  arrest  with  the  subsequent  release  of  John  Mitton,  the  valet 
of  the  deceased.  The  coroner's  jury  brought  in  the  obvious 
"  Wilful  Murder,"  but  the  parties  remained  as  unknown  as  ever. 
No  motive  was  suggested.  The  room  was  full  of  articles  of 
value,  but  none  had  been  taken.  The  dead  man's  papers  had 
not  been  tampered  with.  They  were  carefully  examined,  and 
showed  that  he  was  a  keen  student  of  international  politics,  an 
indefatigable  gossip,  a  remarkable  linguist,  and  an  untiring 
letter  writer.  He  had  been  on  intimate  terms  with  the  leading 
politicians  of  several  countries.  But  nothing  sensational  was 
discovered  among  the  documents  which  filled  his  drawers.  As 
to  his  relations  with  women,  they  appeared  to  have  been  pro- 
miscuous but  superficial.  He  had  many  acquaintances  among 
them,  but  few  friends,  and  no  one  whom  he  loved.  His  habits 
were  regular,  his  conduct  inoffensive.  His  death  was  an  abso- 
lute mystery,  and  likely  to  remain  so. 

As  to  the  arrest  of  John  Mitton,  the  valet,  it  was  a  council 
of  despair  as  an  alternative  to  absolute  inaction.  But  no  case 
could  be  sustained  against  him.  He  had  visited  friends  in  Ham- 
mersmith that  night.  The  alibi  was  complete.  It  is  true  that  he 
started  home  at  an  hour  which  should  have  brought  him  to 
Westminster  before  the  time  when  the  crime  was  discovered, 
but  his  own  explanation  that  he  had  walked  part  of  the  way 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  365 

seemed  probable  enough  in  view  of  the  fineness  of  the  night. 
He  had  actually  arrived  at  twelve  o'clock,  and  appeared  to  be 
overwhelmed  by  the  unexpected  tragedy.  He  had  always  been 
on  good  terms  with  his  master.  Several  of  the  dead  man's  pos- 
sessions —  notably  a  small  case  of  razors  —  had  been  found  in 
the  valet's  boxes,  but  he  explained  that  they  had  been  presents 
from  the  deceased,  and  the  housekeeper  was  able  to  corrobo- 
rate the  story.  Mitton  had  been  in  Lucas'  employment  for  three 
years.  It  was  noticeable  that  Lucas  did  not  take  Mitton  on  the 
Continent  with  him.  Sometimes  he  visited  Paris  for  three 
months  on  end,  but  Mitton  was  left  in  charge  of  the  Godolphin 
Street  house.  As  to  the  housekeeper,  she  had  heard  nothing 
on  the  night  of  the  crime.  If  her  master  had  a  visitor  he  had 
himself  admitted  him. 

So  for  three  mornings  the  mystery  remained,  so  far  as  I 
could  follow  it  in  the  papers.  If  Holmes  knew  more,  he  kept  his 
own  counsel,  but,  as  he  told  me  that  Inspector  Lestrade  had 
taken  him  into  his  confidence  in  the  case,  I  knew  that  he  was 
in  close  touch  with  every  development.  Upon  the  fourth  day 
there  appeared  a  long  telegram  from  Paris  which  seemed  to 
solve  the  whole  question. 

"  A  discovery  has  just  been  made  by  the  Parisian  police,"  said 
the  Daily  Telegraph,  "  which  raises  the  veil  which  hung  round 
the  tragic  fate  of  Mr.  Eduardo  Lucas,  who  met  his  death  by  vio- 
lence last  Monday  night  at  Godolphin  Street,  Westminster. 
Our  readers  will  remember  that  the  deceased  gentleman  was 
found  stabbed  in  his  room,  and  that  some  suspicion  attached 
to  his  valet,  but  that  the  case  broke  down  on  an  alibi.  Yester- 
day a  lady,  who  has  been  known  as  Mme.  Henri  Fournaye,  oc- 
cupying a  small  villa  in  the  Rue  Austerlitz,  was  reported  to  the 
authorities  by  her  servants  as  being  insane.  An  examination 


366  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

showed  she  had  indeed  developed  mania  of  a  dangerous  and 
permanent  form.  On  inquiry,  the  police  have  discovered  that 
Mme.  Henri  Fournaye  only  returned  from  a  journey  to  London 
on  Tuesday  last,  and  there-ds  evidence  to  connect  her  with  the 
crime  at  Westminster.  A  comparison  of  photographs  has  proved 
conclusively  that  M.  Henri  Fournaye  and  Eduardo  Lucas 
were  really  one  and  the  same  person,  and  that  the  deceased  had 
for  some  reason  lived  a  double  life  in  London  and  Paris.  Mme. 
Fournaye,  who  is  of  Creole  origin,  is  of  an  extremely  excitable 
nature,  and  has  suffered  in  the  past  from  attacks  of  jealousy 
which  have  amounted  to  frenzy.  It  is  conjectured  that  it  was  in 
one  of  these  that  she  committed  the  terrible  crime  which  has 
caused  such  a  sensation  in  London.  Her  movements  upon  the 
Monday  night  have  not  yet  been  traced,  but  it  is  undoubted  that  a 
woman  answering  to  her  description  attracted  much  attention  at 
Charing  Cross  Station  on  Tuesday  morning  by  the  wildness  of 
her  appearance  and  the  violence  of  her  gestures.  It  is  probable, 
therefore,  that  the  crime  was  either  committed  when  insane,  or 
that  its  immediate  effect  was  to  drive  the  unhappy  woman  out  of 
her  mind.  At  present  she  is  unable  to  give  any  coherent  account 
of  the  past,  and  the  doctors  hold  out  no  hopes  of  the  re-estab- 
lishment of  her  reason.  There  is  evidence  that  a  woman,  who 
might  have  been  Mme.  Fournaye,  was  seen  for  some  hours 
upon  Monday  night  watching  the  house  in  Godolphin  Street." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  that,  Holmes  ?  "  I  had  read  the  ac- 
count aloud  to  him,  while  he  finished  his  breakfast. 

"  My  dear  Watson,"  said  he,  as  he  rose  from  the  table  and 
paced  up  and  down  the  room,  "you  are  most  long-suffering, 
but  if  I  have  told  you  nothing  in  the  last  three  days,  it  is  be- 
cause there  is  nothing  to  tell.  Even  now  this  report  from  Paris 
does  not  help  us  much." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  367 

**  Surely  it  is  final  as  regards  the  man's  death." 
"  The  man's  death  is  a  mere  incident  —  a  trivial  episode  — 
in  comparison  with  our  real  task,  which  is  to  trace  this  docu- 
ment and  save  a  European  catastrophe.  Only  one  important 
thing  has  happened  in  the  last  three  days,  and  that  is  that  noth- 
ing has  happened.  I  get  reports  almost  hourly  from  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  it  is  certain  that  nowhere  in  Europe  is  there  any 
sign  of  trouble.  Now,  if  this  letter  were  loose  —  no,  it  can't  be 
loose  —  but  if  it  isn't  loose,  where  can  it  be  ?  Who  has  it  ? 
Why  is  it  held  back  ?  That's  the  question  that  beats  in  my  brain 
like  a  hammer.  Was  it,  indeed,  a  coincidence  that  Lucas  should 
meet  his  death  on  the  night  when  the  letter  disappeared  ?  Did 
the  letter  ever  reach  him?  If  so,  why  is  it  not  among  his 
papers  ?  Did  this  mad  wife  of  his  carry  it  off  with  her  ?  If  so,  is 
it  in  her  house  in  Paris  ?  How  could  I  search  for  it  without  the 
French  police  having  their  suspicions  aroused  ?  It  is  a  case,  my 
dear  Watson,  where  the  law  is  as  dangerous  to  us  as  the 
criminals  are.  Every  man's  hand  is  against  us,  and  yet  the 
interests  at  stake  are  colossal.  Should  I  bring  it  to  a  successful 
conclusion,  it  will  certainly  represent  the  crowning  glory  of  my 
career.  Ah,  here  is  my  latest  from  the  front!"  He  glanced 
hurriedly  at  the  note  which  had  been  handed  in.  "Halloa! 
Lestrade  seems  to  have  observed  something  of  interest.  Put 
on  your  hat,  Watson,  and  we  will  stroll  down  together  to 
Westminster." 

It  was  my  first  visit  to  the  scene  of  the  crime  —  a  high,  dingy, 
narrow-chested  house,  prim,  formal,  and  solid,  like  the  cen- 
tury which  gave  it  birth.  Lestrade's  bull-dog  features  gazed  out 
at  us  from  the  front  window,  and  he  greeted  us  warmly  when 
a  big  constable  had  opened  the  door  and  let  us  in.  The  room 
into  which  we  were  shown  was  that  in  which  the  crime  had  been 


368 

committed,  but  no  trace  of  it  now  remained,  save  an  ugly,  ir- 
regular stain  upon  the  carpet.  This  carpet  was  a  small  square 
drugget  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  surrounded  by  a  broad  ex- 
panse of  beautiful, old-fashioned  wood-flooring  in  square  blocks 
highly  polished.  Over  the  fireplace  was  a  magnificent  trophy 
of  weapons,  one  of  which  had  been  used  on  that  tragic  night. 
In  the  window  was  a  sumptuous  writing-desk,  and  every  de- 
tail of  the  apartment,  the  pictures,  the  rugs,  and  the  hangings, 
all  pointed  to  a  taste  which  was  luxurious  to  the  verge  of 
effeminacy. 

"  Seen  the  Paris  news  ?  "  asked  Lestrade. 

Holmes  nodded. 

"Our  French  friends  seem  to  have  touched  the  spot  this 
time.  No  doubt  it's  just  as  they  say.  She  knocked  at  the  door 
—  surprise  visit,  I  guess,  for  he  kept  his  life  in  water-tight  com- 
partments —  he  let  her  in,  couldn't  keep  her  in  the  street. 
She  told  him  how  she  had  traced  him,  reproached  him,  one 
thing  led  to  another,  and  then  with  that  dagger  so  handy  the 
end  soon  came.  It  wasn't  all  done  in  an  instant,  though,  for 
these  chairs  were  all  swept  over  yonder,  and  he  had  one  in  his 
hand  as  if  he  had  tried  to  hold  her  off  with  it.  We've  got  it  all 
clear  as  if  we  had  seen  it." 

Holmes  raised  his  eyebrows. 

"  And  yet  you  have  sent  for  me  ?  " 

"  Ah,  yes,  that's  another  matter  —  a  mere  trifle,  but  the  sort 
of  thing  you  take  an  interest  in  —  queer,  you  know,  and  what 
you  might  call  freakish.  It  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  main 
fact  —  can't  have,  on  the  face  of  it." 

"What  is  it,  then?" 

"  Well,  you  know,  after  a  crime  of  this  sort  we  are  very  careful 
to  keep  things  in  their  position.  Nothing  has  been  moved.  Of- 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  369 

ficer  in  charge  here  day  and  night.  This  morning,  as  the  man 
was  buried  and  the  investigation  over  —  so  far  as  this  room  is 
concerned  —  we  thought  we  could  tidy  up  a  bit.  This  carpet. 
You  see,  it  is  not  fastened  down,  only  just  laid  there.  We  had 
occasion  to  raise  it.  We  found  —  "  ' 

"Yes?  You  found—" 

Holmes'  face  grew  tense  with  anxiety. 

"  Well,  I'm  sure  you  would  never  guess  in  a  hundred  years 
what  we  did  find.  You  see  that  stain  on  the  carpet?  Well,  a 
great  deal  must  have  soaked  through,  must  it  not  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly  it  must." 

"  Well,  you  will  be  surprised  to  hear  that  there  is  no  stain  on 
the  white  woodwork  to  correspond." 

"  No  stain !  But  there  must  —  " 

"Yes,  so  you  would  say.  But  the  fact  remains  that  there 
isn't." 

He  took  the  corner  of  the  carpet  in  his  hand  and,  turning  it 
over,  he  showed  that  it  was  indeed  as  he  said. 

"  But  the  underside  is  as  stained  as  the  upper.  It  must  have 
left  a  mark." 

Lestrade  chuckled  with  delight  at  having  puzzled  the  famous 
expert. 

"Now,  I'll  show  you  the  explanation.  There  is  a  second 
stain,  but  it  does  not  correspond  with  the  other.  See  for  your- 
self." As  he  spoke  he  turned  over  another  portion  of  the  carpet, 
and  there,  sure  enough,  was  a  great  crimson  spill  upon  the 
square  white  facing  of  the  old-fashioned  floor.  "  What  do  you 
make  of  that,  Mr.  Holmes  ?  " 

"  Why,  it  is  simple  enough.  The  two  stains  did  correspond, 
but  the  carpet  has  been  turned  round.  As  it  was  square  and  un- 
fastened it  was  easily  done." 


370       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  The  official  police  don't  need  you,  Mr.  Holmes,  to  tell  them 
that  the  carpet  must  have  been  turned  round.  That's  clear 
enough,  for  the  stains  lie  above  each  other  —  if  you  lay  it  over 
this  way.  But  what  I  want  to  know  is,  who  shifted  the  carpet, 
and  why  ?  " 

I  could  see  from  Holmes'  rigid  face  that  he  was  vibrating 
with  inward  excitement. 

"  Look  here,  Lestrade,"  said  he,  "  has  that  constable  in  the 
passage  been  in  charge  of  the  place  all  the  time  ?  " 

"Yes,  he  has." 

"Well,  take  my  advice.  Examine  him  carefully.  Don't  do 
it  before  us.  We'll  wait  here.  You  take  him  into  the  back  room. 
You'll  be  more  likely  to  get  a  confession  out  of  him  alone. 
Ask  him  how  he  dared  to  admit  people  and  leave  them  alone  in 
this  room.  Don't  ask  him  if  he  has  done  it.  Take  it  for  granted. 
Tell  him  you  know  someone  has  been  here.  Press  him.  Tell 
him  that  a  full  confession  is  his  only  chance  of  forgiveness.  Do 
exactly  what  I  tell  you ! " 

"  By  George,  if  he  knows  I'll  have  it  out  of  him ! "  cried  Les- 
trade. He  darted  into  the  hall,  and  a  few  moments  later  his  bul- 
lying voice  sounded  from  the  back  room. 

"Now,  Watson,  now!"  cried  Holmes  with  frenzied  eager- 
ness. All  the  demoniacal  force  of  the  man  masked  behind 
that  listless  manner  burst  out  in  a  paroxysm  of  energy.  He 
tore  the  drugget  from  the  floor,  and  in  an  instant  was  down  on 
his  hands  and  knees  clawing  at  each  of  the  squares  of  wood  be- 
neath it.  One  turned  sideways  as  he  dug  his  nails  into  the  edge 
of  it.  It  hinged  back  like  the  lid  of  a  box.  A  small  black  cav- 
ity opened  beneath  it.  Holmes  plunged  his  eager  hand  into  it, 
and  drew  it  out  with  a  bitter  snarl  of  anger  and  disappointment. 
It  was  empty. 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  371 

" Quick,  Watson,  quick !  Get  it  back  again!"  The  wooden 
lid  was  replaced,  and  the  drugget  had  only  just  been  drawn 
straight  when  Lestrade's  voice  was  heard  in  the  passage.  He 
found  Holmes  leaning  languidly  against  the  mantelpiece,  re- 
signed and  patient,  endeavouring  to  conceal  his  irrepressible 
yawns. 

"  Sorry  to  keep  you  waiting,  Mr.  Holmes.  I  can  see  that  you 
are  bored  to  death  with  the  whole  affair.  Well,  he  has  con- 
fessed, all  right.  Come  in  here,  MacPherson.  Let  these  gen- 
tlemen hear  of  your  most  inexcusable  conduct. " 

The  big  constable,  very  hot  and  penitent,  sidled  into  the 
room. 

"  I  meant  no  harm,  sir,  I'm  sure.  The  young  woman  came 
to  the  door  last  evening  —  mistook  the  house,  she  did.  And 
then  we  got  talking.  It's  lonesome,  when  you're  on  duty  here 
all  day." 

"  Well,  what  happened  then  ?  " 

"  She  wanted  to  see  where  the  crime  was  done  —  had  read 
about  it  in  the  papers,  she  said.  She  was  a  very  respectable, 
well-spoken  young  woman,  sir,  and  I  saw  no  harm  in  letting  her 
have  a  peep.  When  she  saw  that  mark  on  the  carpet,  down  she 
dropped  on  the  floor,  and  lay  as  if  she  were  dead.  I  ran  to  the 
back  and  got  some  water,  but  I  could  not  bring  her  to.  Then  I 
went  round  the  corner  to  the  Ivy  Plant  for  some  brandy,  and 
by  the  time  I  had  brought  it  back  the  young  woman  had  recov- 
ered and  was  off  —  ashamed  of  herself,  I  daresay,  and  dared  not 
face  me. " 

"  How  about  moving  that  drugget  ?  " 

"  Well,  sir,  it  was  a  bit  rumpled,  certainly,  when  I  came  back. 
You  see,  she  fell  on  it  and  it  lies  on  a  polished  floor  with  nothing 
to  keep  it  in  place.  I  straightened  it  out  afterward. " 


372       THE  RETURN  OP  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  It's  a  lesson  to  you  that  you  can't  deceive  me,  Constable 
MacPherson, "  said  Lestrade,  with  dignity.  "No  doubt  you 
thought  that  your  breach  of  duty  could  never  be  discovered, 
and  yet  a  mere  glance  at  that  drugget  was  enough  to  convince 
me  that  someone  had  been  admitted  to  the  room.  It's  lucky 
for  you,  my  man,  that  nothing  is  missing,  or  you  would  find 
yourself  in  Queer  Street.  I'm  sorry  to  have  called  you  down 
over  such  a  petty  business,  Mr.  Holmes,  but  I  thought  the  point 
of  the  second  stain  not  corresponding  with  the  first  would 
interest  you. " 

"  Certainly,  it  was  most  interesting.  Has  this  woman  only 
been  here  once,  constable  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  only  once. " 

"Who  was  she?" 

"  Don't  know  the  name,  sir.     Was  answering  an  advertise- 
ment about  typewriting,  and  came  to  the  wrong  number  — 
very  pleasant,  genteel  young  woman,  sir. " 

"Tall?  Handsome?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  she  was  a  well-grown  young  woman.  I  suppose 
you  might  say  she  was  handsome.  Perhaps  some  would  say 
she  was  very  handsome.  *  Oh,  officer,  do  let  me  have  a  peep ! ' 
says  she.  She  had  pretty,coaxing  ways,  as  you  might  say,  and  I 
thought  there  was  no  harm  in  letting  her  just  put  her  head 
through  the  door. " 

"  How  was  she  dressed  ?  " 

"  Quiet,  sir  —  a  long  mantle  down  to  her  feet. " 

"What  time  was  it?" 

"  It  was  just  growing  dusk  at  the  time.  They  were  lighting 
the  lamps  as  I  came  back  with  the  brandy. " 

"Very  good,"  said  Holmes.  "Come,  Watson,  I  think  that 
we  have  more  important  work  elsewhere. " 


MANTELPIECE 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  373 

As  we  left  the  house  Lestrade  remained  in  the  front  room, 
while  the  repentant  constable  opened  the  door  to  let  us  out. 
Holmes  turned  on  the  step  and  held  up  something  in  his  hand. 
The  constable  stared  intently. 

"Good  Lord,  sir!"  he  cried,  with  amazement  on  his  face. 
Holmes  put  his  finger  on  his  lips,  replaced  his  hand  in  his  breast 
pocket,  and  burst  out  laughing  as  we  turned  down  the  street. 
"Excellent!"  said  he.  "Come,  friend  Watson,  the  curtain 
rings  up  for  the  last  act.  You  will  be  relieved  to  hear  that  there 
will  be  no  war,  that  the  Right  Honourable  Trelawney  Hope  will 
suffer  no  setback  in  his  brilliant  career,  that  the  indiscreet 
Sovereign  will  receive  no  punishment  for  his  indiscretion,  that 
the  Prime  Minister  will  have  no  European  complication  to  deal 
with,  and  that  with  a  little  tact  and  management  upon  our  part 
nobody  will  be  a  penny  the  worse  for  what  might  have  been  a 
very  ugly  incident. " 

My  mind  filled  with  admiration  for  this  extraordinary  man. 

"  You  have  solved  it ! "  I  cried. 

.  "  Hardly  that,  Watson.  There  are  some  points  which  are  as 
dark  as  ever.  But  we  have  so  much  that  it  will  be  our  own 
fault  if  we  cannot  get  the  rest.  We  will  go  straight  to  White- 
hall Terrace  and  bring  the  matter  to  a  head. " 

When  we  arrived  at  the  residence  of  the  European  Secretary 
it  was  for  Lady  Hilda  Trelawney  Hope  that  Sherlock  Holmes 
inquired.  We  were  shown  into  the  morning-room. 

"  Mr.  Holmes ! "  said  the  lady,  and  her  face  was  pink  with  her 
indignation,  "  this  is  surely  most  unfair  and  ungenerous  upon 
your  part.  I  desired,  as  I  have  explained,  to  keep  my  visit  to 
you  a  secret,  lest  my  husband  should  think  that  I  was  intruding 
into  his  affairs.  And  yet  you  compromise  me  by  coming  here 
and  so  showing  that  there  are  business  relations  between  us. " 


374  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"Unfortunately,  madam,  I  had  no  possible  alternative.  I 
have  been  commissioned  to  recover  this  immensely  important 
paper.  I  must  therefore  ask  you,  madam,  to  be  kind  enough 
to  place  it  in  my  hands. " 

The  lady  sprang  to  her  feet,  with  the  colour  all  dashed  in  an 
instant  from  her  beautiful  face.  Her  eyes  glazed  —  she  totter- 
ed —  I  thought  that  she  would  faint.  Then  with  a  grand  effort 
she  rallied  from  the  shock,  and  a  supreme  astonishment  and  in- 
dignation chased  every  other  expression  from  her  features. 

'*  You  —  you  insult  me,  Mr.  Holmes. " 

"  Come,  come,  madam,  it  is  useless.     Give  up  the  letter. " 

She  darted  to  the  bell. 

"  The  butler  shall  show  you  out. " 

"  Do  not  ring,  Lady  Hilda.  If  you  do,  then  all  my  earnest 
efforts  to  avoid  a  scandal  will  be  frustrated.  Give  up  the  letter 
and  all  will  be  set  right.  If  you  will  work  with  me  I  can  arrange 
everything.  If  you  work  against  me  I  must  expose  you. " 

She  stood  grandly  defiant,  a  queenly  figure,  her  eyes  fixed 
upon  his  as  if  she  would  read  his  very  soul.  Her  hand  was  on 
the  bell,  but  she  had  forborne  to  ring  it. 

"You  are  trying  to  frighten  me.  It  is  not  a  very  manly 
thing,  Mr.  Holmes,  to  come  here  and  browbeat  a  woman.  You 
say  that  you  know  something.  What  is  it  that  you  know  ?  " 

"  Pray  sit  down,  madam.  You  will  hurt  yourself  there  if  you 
fall.  I  will  not  speak  until  you  sit  down.  Thank  you. " 

"  I  give  you  five  minutes,  Mr.  Holmes. " 

"One  is  enough,  Lady  Hilda.  I  know  of  your  visit  to 
Eduardo  Lucas,  of  your  giving  him  this  document,  of  your 
ingenious  return  to  the  room  last  night,  and  of  the  manner 
in  which  you  took  the  letter  from  the  hiding-place  under 
the  carpet." 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  375 

She  stared  at  him  with  an  ashen  face  and  gulped  twice  before 
she  could  speak. 

"You  are  mad,  Mr.  Holmes  —  you  are  mad!"  she  cried,  at 
last. 

He  drew  a  small  piece  of  cardboard  from  his  pocket.  It  was 
the  face  of  a  woman  cut  out  of  a  portrait. 

"  I  have  carried  this  because  I  thought  it  might  be  useful, " 
said  he.  "  The  policeman  has  recognised  it.  " 

She  gave  a  gasp  and  her  head  dropped  back  in  the  chair. 

"  Come,  Lady  Hilda.  You  have  the  letter.  The  matter  may 
still  be  adjusted.  I  have  no  desire  to  bring  trouble  to  you.  My 
duty  ends  when  I  have  returned  the  lost  letter  to  your  husband. 
Take  my  advice  and  be  frank  with  me.  It  is  your  only  chance." 

Her  courage  was  admirable.  Even  now  she  would  not  own 
defeat. 

"  I  tell  you  again,  Mr.  Holmes,  that  you  are  under  some 
absurd  illusion. " 

Holmes  rose  from  his  chair. 

"  I  am  sorry  for  you,  Lady  Hilda.  I  have  done  my  best  for 
you.  I  can  see  that  it  is  all  in  vain. " 

He  rang  the  bell.     The  butler  entered. 

"  Is  Mr.  Trelawney  Hope  at  home  ?  " 

"  He  will  be  home,  sir,  at  a  quarter  to  one. " 

Holmes  glanced  at  his  watch. 

"  Still  a  quarter  of  an  hour, "  said  he.  "  Very  good,  I  shall 
wait. " 

The  butler  had  hardly  closed  the  door  behind  him  when  Lady 
Hilda  was  down  on  her  knees  at  Holmes'  feet,  her  hands  out- 
stretched, her  beautiful  face  upturned  and  wet  with  her  tears. 

"Oh,  spare  me,  Mr.  Holmes!  Spare  me!"  she  pleaded,  in  a 
frenzy  of  supplication.  "For  heaven's  sake,  don't  tell  him! 


376       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

I  love  him  so!  I  would  not  bring  one  shadow  on  his  life,  and 
this  I  know  would  break  his  noble  heart. " 

Holmes  raised  the  lady.  "  I  am  thankful,  madam,  that  you 
have  come  to  your  senses  even  at  this  last  moment!  There  is 
not  an  instant  to  lose.  Where  is  the  letter  ?  " 

She  darted  across  to  a  writing-desk,  unlocked  it,  and  drew 
out  a  long  blue  envelope. 

"  Here  it  is,  Mr.  Holmes.  Would  to  heaven  I  had  never  seen 
it!" 

"How  can  we  return  it?"  Holmes  muttered.  "Quick, 
quick,  we  must  think  of  some  way !  Where  is  the  despatch- 
box?" 

"Still  in  his  bedroom." 

"What  a  stroke  of  luck!  Quick,  madam,  bring  it  here!" 

A  moment  later  she  had  appeared  with  a  red  flat  box  in  her 
hand. 

"  How  did  you  open  it  before  ?  You  have  a  duplicate  key  ? 
Yes,  of  course  you  have.  Open  it! " 

From  out  of  her  bosom  Lady  Hilda  had  drawn  a  small  key. 
The  box  flew  open.  It  was  stuffed  with  papers.  Holmes 
thrust  the  blue  envelope  deep  down  into  the  heart  of  them,  be- 
tween the  leaves  of  some  other  document.  The  box  was  shut, 
locked,  and  returned  to  the  bedroom. 

"  Now  we  are  ready  for  him, "  said  Holmes.  "  We  have  still 
ten  minutes.  I  am  going  far  to  screen  you,  Lady  Hilda.  In 
return  you  will  spend  the  time  in  telling  me  frankly  the  real 
meaning  of  this  extraordinary  affair. " 

"Mr.  Holmes,  I  will  tell  you  everything,"  cried  the  lady. 
"  Oh,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  would  cut  off  my  right  hand  before  I  gave 
him  a  moment  of  sorrow !  There  is  no  woman  in  all  London  who 
loves  her  husband  as  I  do,  and  yet  if  he  knew  how  I  have  acted 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  377 

—  how  I  have  been  compelled  to  act  —  he  would  never  forgive 
me.  For  his  own  honour  stands  so  high  that  he  could  not  for- 
get or  pardon  a  lapse  in  another.  Help  me,  Mr.  Holmes !  My 
happiness,  his  happiness,  our  very  lives  are  at  stake!" 

"Quick,  madam,  the  time  grows  short!" 

"It  was  a  letter  of  mine,  Mr.  Holmes,  an  indiscreet  letter 
written  before  my  marriage  —  a  foolish  letter,  a  letter  of  an  im- 
pulsive, loving  girl.  I  meant  no  harm,  and  yet  he  would  have 
thought  it  criminal.  Had  he  read  that  letter  his  confidence 
would  have  been  forever  destroyed.  It  is  years  since  I  wrote  it. 
I  had  thought  that  the  whole  matter  was  forgotten.  Then  at 
last  I  heard  from  this  man,  Lucas,  that  it  had  passed  into  his 
hands,  and  that  he  would  lay  it  before  my  husband.  I  implored 
his  mercy.  He  said  that  he  would  return  my  letter  if  I  would 
bring  him  a  certain  document  which  he  described  in  my  hus- 
band's despatch-box.  He  had  some  spy  in  the  office  who  had 
told  him  of  its  existence.  He  assured  me  that  no  harm  could 
come  to  my  husband.  Put  yourself  in  my  position,  Mr. 
Holmes !  What  was  I  to  do  ?  " 

"  Take  your  husband  into  your  confidence.  " 

"I  could  not,  Mr.  Holmes,  I  could  not!  On  the  one  side 
seemed  certain  ruin,  on  the  other,  terrible  as  it  seemed  to  take 
my  husband's  paper,  still  in  a  matter  of  politics  I  could  not  un- 
derstand the  consequences,  while  in  a  matter  of  love  and  trust 
they  were  only  too  clear  to  me.  I  did  it,  Mr.  Holmes !  I  took 
an  impression  of  his  key.  This  man,  Lucas,  furnished  a 
duplicate.  I  opened  his  despatch-box,  took  the  paper,  and 
conveyed  it  to  Godolphin  Street. " 

"  What  happened  there,  madam  ?  " 

"  I  tapped  at  the  door  as  agreed.  Lucas  opened  it.  I  fol- 
lowed him  into  his  room,  leaving  the  hall  door  ajar  behind  me, 


378       THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

for  I  feared  to  be  alone  with  the  man.  I  remember  that  there 
was  a  woman  outside  as  I  entered.  Our  business  was  soon 
done.  He  had  my  letter  on  his  desk,  I  handed  him  the  docu- 
ment. He  gave  me  the  letter.  At  this  instant  there  was  a 
sound  at  the  door.  There  were  steps  in  the  passage.  Lucas 
quickly  turned  back  the  drugget,  thrust  the  document  into 
some  hiding-place  there,  and  covered  it  over. 

"What  happened  after  that  is  like  some  fearful  dream.  I 
have  a  vision  of  a  dark,frantic  face,  of  a  woman's  voice,  which 
screamed  in  French,  'My  waiting  is  not  in  vain.  At  last,  at 
last  I  have  found  you  with  her! '  There  was  a  savage  struggle. 
I  saw  him  with  a  chair  in  his  hand,  a  knife  gleamed  in  hers.  I 
rushed  from  the  horrible  scene,  ran  from  the  house,  and  only 
next  morning  in  the  paper  did  I  learn  the  dreadful  result.  That 
night  I  was  happy,  for  I  had  my  letter,  and  I  had  not  seen  yet 
what  the  future  would  bring. 

"  It  was  the  next  morning  that  I  realized  that  I  had  only  ex- 
changed one  trouble  for  another.  My  husband's  anguish  at 
the  loss  of  his  paper  went  to  my  heart.  I  could  hardly  prevent 
myself  from  there  and  then  kneeling  down  at  his  feet  and  telling 
him  what  I  had  done.  But  that  again  would  mean  a  confes- 
sion of  the  past.  I  came  to  you  that  morning  in  order  to  under- 
stand the  full  enormity  of  my  offence.  From  the  instant  that  I 
grasped  it  my  whole  mind  was  turned  to  the  one  thought  of  get- 
ting back  my  husband's  paper.  It  must  still  be  where  Lucas 
had  placed  it,  for  it  was  concealed  before  this  dreadful  woman 
entered  the  room.  If  it  had  not  been  for  her  coming,  I  should 
not  have  known  where  his  hiding-place  was.  How  was  I  to 
get  into  the  room  ?  For  two  days  I  watched  the  place,  but  the 
door  was  never  left  open.  Last  night  I  made  a  last  attempt. 
What  I  did  and  how  I  succeeded,  you  have  already  learned.  I 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  879 

brought  the  paper  back  with  me,  and  thought  of  destroying  it, 
since  I  could  see  no  way  of  returning  it  without  confessing  my 
guilt  to  my  husband.  Heavens,  I  hear  his  step  upon  the 
stair!" 

The  European  Secretary  burst  excitedly  into  the  room. 

"  Any  news,  Mr.  Holmes,  any  news  ?  "  he  cried. 

"  I  have  some  hopes. " 

"  Ah,  thank  heaven! "  His  face  became  radiant.  "  The  Prime 
Minister  is  lunching  with  me.  May  he  share  your  hopes  ?  He 
has  nerves  of  steel,  and  yet  I  know  that  he  has  hardly  slept  since 
this  terrible  event.  Jacobs,  will  you  ask  the  Prime  Minister  to 
come  up  ?  As  to  you,  dear,  I  fear  that  this  is  a  matter  of  poli- 
tics. We  will  join  you  in  a  few  minutes  in  the  dining-room. " 

The  Prime  Minister's  manner  was  subdued,  but  I  could  see 
by  the  gleam  of  his  eyes  and  the  twitchings  of  his  bony  hands 
that  he  shared  the  excitement  of  his  young  colleague. 

"  I  understand  that  you  have  something  to  report,  Mr. 
Holmes?" 

"  Purely  negative  as  yet, "  my  friend  answered.  "  I  have  in- 
quired at  every  point  where  it  might  be,  and  I  am  sure  that 
there  is  no  danger  to  be  apprehended. " 

"  But  that  is  not  enough,  Mr.  Holmes.  We  can  not  live  for- 
ever on  such  a  volcano.  We  must  have  something  definite. " 

"  I  am  in  hopes  of  getting  it.  That  is  why  I  am  here.  The 
more  I  think  of  the  matter  the  more  convinced  I  am  that  the 
letter  has  never  left  this  house.  " 

"Mr.  Holmes!" 

"  If  it  had  it  would  certainly  have  been  public  by  now. " 

"  But  why  should  anyone  take  it  in  order  to  keep  it  in  this 
house  ? " 

"  I  am  not  convinced  that  anyone  did  take  it. " 


380  THE  RETURN  OF  SHERLOCK  HOLMES 

"  Then  ho\v  could  it  leave  the  despatch-box  ? " 

"  I  am  not  convinced  that  it  ever  did  leave  the  despatch-box. " 

"Mr.  Holmes,  this  joking  is  very  ill-timed.  You  have  my 
assurance  that  it  left  the  box. " 

"  Have  you  examined  the  box  since  Tuesday  morning  ?  " 

"  No.     It  was  not  necessary. " 

"  You  may  conceivably  have  overlooked  it. " 

"  Impossible,  I  say. " 

"  But  I  am  not  convinced  of  it.  I  have  known  such  things  to 
happen.  I  presume  there  are  other  papers  there.  Well,  it  may 
have  got  mixed  with  them. " 

"  It  was  on  the  top. " 

"  Someone  may  have  shaken  the  box  and  displaced  it. " 

"  No,  no,  I  had  everything  out.  " 

"  Surely  it  is  easily  decided,  Hope, "  said  the  Premier.  "  Let 
us  have  the  despatch-box  brought  in. " 

The  Secretary  rang  the  bell. 

"  Jacobs,  bring  down  my  despatch-box.  This  is  a  farcical 
waste  of  time,  but  still,  if  nothing  else  will  satisfy  you,  it  shall 
be  done.  Thank  you,  Jacobs,  put  it  here.  I  have  always  had  the 
key  on  my  watch-chain.  Here  are  the  papers,  you  see.  Let- 
ter from  Lord  Merrow,  report  from  Sir  Charles  Hardy,  memo- 
randum from  Belgrade,  note  on  the  Russo-German  grain 
taxes,  letter  from  Madrid,  note  from  Lord  Flowers  —  Good 
heavens !  what  is  this  ?  Lord  Bellinger !  Lord  Bellinger ! " 

The  Premier  snatched  the  blue  envelope  from  his  hand. 

"  Yes,  it  is  it  —  and  the  letter  is  intact.  Hope,  I  congratu- 
late you. " 

"  Thank  you !  Thank  you !  What  a  weight  from  my  heart. 
But  this  is  inconceivable  —  impossible.  Mr.  Holmes,  you  are 
a  wizard,  a  sorcerer!  How  did  you  know  it  was  there  ?  " 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  SECOND  STAIN  381 

"  Because  I  knew  it  was  nowhere  else.  " 

"  I  can  not  believe  my  eyes ! "  He  ran  wildly  to  the  door. 
"  Where  is  my  wife  ?  I  must  tell  her  that  all  is  well.  Hilda ! 
Hilda! "  we  heard  his  voice  on  the  stairs. 

The  Premier  looked  at  Holmes  with  twinkling  eyes. 

"  Come,  sir, "  said  he.  "  There  is  more  in  this  than  meets  the 
eye.  How  came  the  letter  back  in  the  box  ?  " 

Holmes  turned  away  smiling  from  the  keen  scrutiny  of  those 
wonderful  eyes. 

"  We  also  have  our  diplomatic  secrets, "  said  he  and,  picking 
up  his  hat,  he  turned  to  the  door. 

THE  END 


THE   McCLURE   PRESS,   NEW   YORK 


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